Method and apparatus for reducing error when measuring minute quantities of weight
AssigneePerkinElmer Instruments LLC
InventorsAvinash Dalmia, E. Joel McCorkle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to an instrument and method for measuring minute quantities of weight, including a pan for holding a sample to be weighed, a chamber for forming an enclosure about the pan, and a hang-down wire coupled to the pan for suspending the pan within the chamber. The pan has volume less than 0.020 cm3 and the hang-down wire has a volume less than 0.01 cm3. The invention may also include a carrier gas, placed within the chamber, having a generally consistent density over changes in temperature.
Claims19
An instrument for measuring weight, comprising:
- a pan for holding a sample to be weighed;
- a chamber for forming an enclosure about said pan;
- a hang-down wire coupled to said pan for suspending said pan within said chamber and adapted to be coupled to a weight sensor;
- said pan having a volume less than 0.020 cm3;
- and
- said hang-down wire having a volume less than 0.01 cm3.
An instrument for measuring weight, comprising:
- a pan for holding a sample to be weighed;
- a chamber for forming an enclosure about said pan;
- and,
- a hang-down wire coupled to said pan for suspending said pan within said chamber and adapted to be coupled to a weight sensor;
- where said chamber includes a carrier gas being hydrogen.
A method for measuring weight, comprising:
- providing a pan having a volume of less than 0.020 cm3 for holding a sample to be weighed;
- forming an enclosure about the pan;
- suspending the pan within the enclosure with a hang-down wire having a volume less than 0.01 cm3;
- and
- coupling the hang-down wire to a weight sensor.
A method for measuring weight, comprising:
- providing a pan for holding a sample to be weighed;
- forming an enclosure about the pan;
- suspending the pan within the enclosure with a hang-down wire;
- adapting the hand-down wire to be coupled to a weight sensor;
- and
- placing a carrier gas within the enclosure having a density that varies less than approximately 0.09 g/cm3 over a temperature range from approximately 0-400° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.