Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Rolls-royce Corporation

Charles W Johns

Thomas Krafczyk

Charles Martinez

Stephen L Otts

Luciano Brueggemann

Chi S Chen

Christian Frenz

Michael Eberhardt

Martin Mueller

Joseph F Quint

Martin Müller

Emanuel Papandreas

Andreas Weihs

Gerhard Gunzer

Samuel H Rizzotte

Samuel H Rizotte

A centrifuge rotor includes a rotor body having a base, a sidewall, and a top. The top defines an opening that provides access to an annulus cavity inside the rotor body. A cover is removably attachable to the rotor body to seal the annulus cavity. A drive hub extends from a portion of the base of the rotor body and couples to a drive shaft of a centrifuge motor. The rotor body is sized to receive one or more sample containers in the annulus cavity, and to constrain the one or more sample containers inside the annulus cavity between the base, the sidewall, and the top when the one or more containers are advanced radially against the sidewall.

Centrifuge rotor and container arrangement

A swinging bucket centrifuge () comprises a rotor () with at least one mounting end and at least one bucket () mounted to the at least one mounting end of the rotor (). Therein, the at least one bucket () is mounted to the at least one mounting end of the rotor () by at least one clevis pin () held in a clevis () so that the bucket () is pivotable about the clevis pin ().

Swinging bucket centrifuge with a bucket mounted by a clevis pin held in a clevis

A sample tube rack for receiving at least one sample tube comprises an upper part comprising an upper surface, wherein at least one upper opening for receiving the sample tube is provided in the upper surface; an intermediate part comprising an intermediate surface, wherein at least one intermediate opening for receiving the sample tube is provided in the intermediate surface; and a lower part comprising a supporting surface, wherein at least one supporting position for supporting the sample tube is provided in the supporting surface. Therein, the intermediate part is connected to both the upper part and the lower part such that the at least one upper opening is substantially aligned above the at least one intermediate opening and above the at least one supporting position for receiving the at least one sample tube. At least one gripping orifice is provided in a lateral side of the lower part.

Sample tube rack and sample tube analysing system

Sample tube rack

An assembly for a gas turbine engine is arranged to rotate about a central axis of the gas turbine engine. The assembly includes a disk formed to include a plurality of apertures. The disk is operable to transfer rotational energy.

Disk with lattice features adapted for use in gas turbine engines

An embodiment of the invention relates to systems and methods for detecting the orientation of sample carriers using two or more RFID tags. One or two dimensional matrix of equally spaced RFID reader antennas may be positioned beneath or within an area on which racks are placed. The first RFID tag defines the origin of the sample carrier and its geometry. The second and additional RFID tags define the orientations of the sample carrier relative to the matrix of the RFID reader antennas. At least two of the tag antennas on the rack align uniquely with two antennas on the reader matrix. The system energizes each reader antenna and associates the RFID tags aligned with them to the RFID reader antenna's physical position.

Mount device utilizing patterned features for rack orientation detection

An analytical laboratory system and method for processing samples is disclosed. A sample container is transported from an input area to a distribution area by a gripper comprising a means for inspecting a tube. An image is captured of the sample container. The image is analyzed to determine a sample container identification. A liquid level of the sample in the sample container is determined. A scheduling system determines a priority for processing the sample container based on the sample container identification. The sample container is transported from the distribution area to a subsequent processing module by the gripper.

Robotic arm

Sample tube pack

An analytical laboratory system and method for processing samples is disclosed. The system includes a manager unit, as well as an aliquotter unit and a centrifuge unit.

System and method for processing samples

A system is disclosed. The system includes an aliquotter module. The aliquotter module includes a track including: a travel lane; a first loop; and a second loop configured to transport sample carriers with primary sample containers. The aliquotter module can further include a pipettor that can aspirate a first aliquot volume of a sample in a primary sample container located in an aspiration position and dispense the first aliquot volume of the sample in a secondary sample container located in a dispensing position. The aliquotter module can cause the secondary sample container to leave the aliquotter module before the primary sample container.

Aliquotter system and workflow

Systems, methods and apparatus are described for a centrifuge module of a laboratory analysis system. Specimen containers may be weighed, loaded into a centrifuge adapter, and transported to a centrifuge module by an adapter shuttle. A centrifuge adapter gripper may transport the centrifuge adapter into a centrifuge for centrifugation. The centrifuge adapter may be transported by the centrifuge adapter gripper to an adapter shuttle for unloading of the specimen containers, which may be performed by a specimen container gripper. A centrifuge drawer that allows a centrifuge to be extended from its installed position is also described. Additional embodiments pertain to a sequence for replacing, in a centrifuge, a set of centrifuge adapters that have been centrifuged with a set of centrifuge adapters that have not been centrifuged. A sequence for loading specimen containers into centrifuge adapters is also described.

Growing community of inventors

Brownsburg, IN, United States of America

Charles W Johns