Method for detecting the type of an exchangeable piston-cylinder unit for a dispenser

A method for detecting the type of an exchangeable piston-cylinder unit for a dispenser, wherein

• the piston-cylinder unit has
• at least one radially oriented information carrier section, which at least partially specifies the type of the piston-cylinder unit and which has a geometrical extent in the radial direction by means of which an acquirable information item is encoded, and
• at least one axially oriented information carrier section, which at least partially specifies the type of the piston-cylinder unit and which has a geometrical extent in the axial direction of the dispenser by means of which an acquirable information item is encoded, and
• the dispenser has an acquisition device for automatically identifying the type of a piston-cylinder unit mounted on the dispenser,
• wherein the method comprises:
• a) releasably mounting the piston-cylinder unit on the dispenser by means of a movement at least substantially in the axial direction of the dispenser;
• b) detecting completion of a successful mounting of the piston-cylinder unit on the dispenser by means of a sensor device;
• c) acquiring an information item of the axially oriented information carrier section,
• d) acquiring an information item of the radially oriented information carrier section, and
• e) determining the type of the piston-cylinder unit mounted on the dispenser from the information items acquired.

An exchangeable piston-cylinder unit for a dispenser, comprising:

• at least one axially oriented information carrier section, which partially specifies the type of the piston-cylinder unit and which has a geometrical extent in an axial direction by means of which an acquirable information item is encoded, and
• a fastening section,
• wherein:
• the axially oriented information carrier section and the fastening section are provided on a piston head of the piston-cylinder unit,
• the fastening section is arranged separately from the axially oriented information carrier section, and
• a piston actuator of the dispenser is engageable with the piston head at said fastening section.

A dispenser, on which a piston-cylinder unit is releasably mountable by means of a movement at least substantially in an axial direction of the dispenser, comprising:

• a piston actuator that is connectable to the piston of the piston-cylinder unit,
• an acquisition device for automatically identifying the type of a piston-cylinder unit mounted on the dispenser,
• wherein the acquisition device has:
• a radial information reader, by means of which an information item of a radially oriented information carrier section of the piston-cylinder unit is able to be acquired, and
• an axial information reader, by means of which an information item of an axially oriented information carrier section of the piston-cylinder unit is able to be acquired.

A system for receiving and dispensing fluid volumes, comprising:

• an exchangeable piston-cylinder unit and
• a dispenser,
• wherein the piston-cylinder unit comprises:
• at least one radially oriented information carrier section, which partially specifies the type of the piston-cylinder unit and which has a geometrical extent in a radial direction by means of which an acquirable information item is encoded, and
• at least one axially oriented information carrier section, which partially specifies the type of the piston-cylinder unit and which has a geometrical extent in an axial direction by means of which another acquirable information item is encoded,
• wherein the dispenser comprises:
• a piston actuator that is connectable to the piston of the piston-cylinder unit,
• an acquisition device for automatically identifying the type of a piston-cylinder unit mounted on the dispenser having a radial information reader, by means of which an information item of a radially oriented information carrier section of the piston-cylinder unit is able to be acquired, and an axial information reader, by means of which an information item of an axially oriented information carrier section of the piston-cylinder unit is able to be acquired, and
• wherein the piston-cylinder unit is releasably mounted on the dispenser by a movement at least substantially in an axial direction of the dispenser.