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US 7,125,727 B2Granted
Sample handling tool with piezoelectric actuator
AssigneeProtedyne Corporation
InventorPeter Massaro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A material handling tool includes a piezoelectric motor that causes actuation of a needle. Actuation of the needle may include aspiration and/or dispensing of a fluid sample and/or movement of the needle to pick or place a material sample.
Claims27
A sample handling device comprising:
- a body having at least one cavity formed therein;
- a needle in fluid communication with the cavity;
- a drive element;
- and
- a piezoelectric motor adapted to move the drive element over a stroke length of at least ⅛ inch, movement of the drive element causing actuation of the needle in connection with the handling of a material sample.
2 more elements
A sample handling device comprising:
- a body having at least one elongated cavity formed therein;
- a needle in fluid communication with a first end of the cavity;
- a plunger moveable axially in the elongated cavity;
- and
- a piezoelectric motor that is arranged to move the plunger axially in the elongated cavity over a stroke length of at least ⅛ inch to actuate the needle to handle a material sample with respect to a work surface, the piezoelectric motor being arranged to move the plunger to cause the needle to aspirate and dispense the material sample.
2 more elements
A method for handing material samples, comprising:
- providing a movable element positioned at least in part within a cavity that is in fluid communication with a needle adapted to handle a material sample;
- moving the movable element over a stroke length of at least ⅛ inch via a piezoelectric motor;
- and
- moving a material sample via the needle based on movement of the movable element.
1 more element
A sample handling device comprising:
- a body having at least one cavity formed therein;
- a needle in fluid communication with the cavity;
- a drive element;
- a piezoelectric motor adapted to move the drive element over a stroke length of at least ⅛ inch, movement of the drive element causing movement of the needle in connection with the handling of a material sample;
- and
- a capacitive sensing system that provides information regarding a position of the needle relative to a work surface, the information used to control operation of the piezoelectric motor in moving the needle relative to the work surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.