Tecan Trading Ag

Tecan Schweig Ag

Fred Schinzel

Hanspeter Romer

Markus Wolf

Markus Wiggli

Adrian Sager

Bronwen Forster

Markus Spiss

Peter Muerset

Jurg Schneider

Gregor Batliner

Alois Oberholzer

Martin R&uuml;disser

Ivan Jokes

Claudio Monti

Peter Mürset

A centrifugal processing unit for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge has a rotor with an accommodation for receiving the sample processing cartridge, the accommodation only allowing a free pivoting motion of the cartridge about a respective pivot axis, wherein each pivot axis is orthogonal to the rotor axis and to a respective force vector of a centrifugal force, a rotor drive to create the centrifugal force, a blocking element, allowing the free pivoting motion of the cartridge in a release position and preventing the free pivoting motion in a blocking position, wherein the blocking element is arranged on the rotor spaced apart above the accommodation is disclosed.

Centrifugal processing unit

A centrifugal processing unit for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge having a rotor for receiving the sample processing cartridge, a rotor drive to create a centrifugal force, the centrifugal processing unit having a pivot accommodation and a fix accommodation for receiving the sample processing cartridge that are arranged on the rotor, where each pivot accommodation being adapted to allow a free pivoting motion of the received sample processing cartridge about a respective pivot axis, and each pivot axis being orthogonal to the rotor axis to the respective force vector of the centrifugal force.

A position detector for generating 3D position information of an object in a position determination space for the object. The position detector has a camera with a lens and an image sensor that defines an imaging area with one first light deflecting element arranged in the imaging area as the camera and the at least one light deflecting element are adapted to simultaneously produce on the image sensor at least two images of the position determination space, a first image being produced by light beams deflected at the first light deflecting element, the at least two images differ with respect to the viewing direction of the position determination space.

Position detector and method for 3D position determination

A centrifugal processing unit for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge, the centrifugal processing unit having a rotor at least one accommodation for receiving the sample processing cartridge, and a rotor drive for rotating the at least one rotor about a respective rotor axis to create the centrifugal force. The centrifugal processing unit has a blocking element allowing the free pivoting motion of the at least one accommodation in a release position when the rotor is rotated in a first direction and preventing the free pivoting motion in a blocking position, when the rotor is rotated in the opposite direction.

Centrifugal processing unit including a blocking element

An identification device for identifying identifiers on and/or features of laboratory objects and/or of samples located therein in conjunction with automated laboratory systems or facilities, for example, medical, chemical, or pharmaceutical analysis devices. Barcodes on sample containers, for example, sample tubes, reagent tubs, or microplates are used, for example, as identifiers. An optical recording unit and a mirror are used, the spacing is variable for the detection of laboratory objects, each at different distances, from a recording distance by the optical recording unit is within a depth of field of the optical recording unit. The mirror is used for imaging the laboratory object to be detected on the optical axis. The identification device is substantially simplified, more reliable, and more cost-effective in comparison to known devices that use a zoom lens together with an autofocus unit.

Identification device and method for identifying identifiers on and/or features of laboratory objects and/or of samples located therein, and laboratory device having such an identification device

A liquid handling system has a robot manipulator for orienting pipette or dispenser tips in relation to sample containers situated in or on the system, pipette or dispenser tips, drives for moving the robot manipulator, and processors for controlling the movements and actions of the robot manipulator and/or of the pipette or dispenser tips. The system also includes at least two blocks situated on two arms of the robot manipulator, at least two of the pipette or dispenser tips being situated on each block and at an axial distance to one another. The axial distance essentially corresponds to the grid spacing of wells of a microplate. At least one of these blocks, for the alternating interlaced orientation of the pipette or dispenser tips of at least two blocks along a shared line, are individually movable at least in the X direction. A method allows the time-saving pipetting over of liquid samples between diverse sample containers, e.g., between sample tubes and microplates having 24, 96, 384, or 1536 wells.

Interlacing pipette or dispenser tips in a liquid handling system

A device and method for situating pipette or dispenser tips in a system for manipulating liquid samples, has a robot manipulator for orienting the tips relative to sample containers, drives for moving the robot manipulator and processors for controlling movements and actions of the robot manipulator and/or the tips. At least two tips are situated at an axial distance from each another, on at least two blocks on an arm of the robot manipulator. The axial distance corresponds to a grid spacing of wells of a microplate. At least one of the blocks is individually movable in an X direction and in a Y direction. The method allows time-saving pipetting over of liquid samples between diverse sample containers, such as between sample tubes and microplates having 24, 96, 384, or 1536 wells.

Device and method for disposing pipette syringes in a system used for manipulating liquid samples

A device for transferring and characterizing objects positions the object on a horizontal work field. The device includes at least one rail extending parallel to the X direction and a displacement unit, movable back and forth in the X direction, having a motorized gripping mechanism for grasping an object. A processor for controlling movements of the displacement unit and actions of the gripping mechanism is distinguished in that the displacement unit includes a carrying device, movable together therewith along the rail, for transferring objects in the X direction. The carrying device is a plate for carrying objects moved onto this carrying plate using the gripping mechanism. According to a method of the invention, objects are moved onto the plate of the carrying device, transferred in the X direction, and deposited again at a second position.

Device and method for transferring objects

A drive unit of a carriage has a drive wheel and a deflector, offset parallel to a racks both of which are implemented as gearwheels, around which a closed elastic toothed belt with teeth on both sides is guided, whose inner teeth engage with the wheels described and whose outer teeth engage with the rack. A pressure block relocatable relative to the rack is positioned between the wheels, which exercises an elastic force on the part of the toothed belt facing the rack by means of a pressure surface under the influence of the part facing away from the rack, which presses the first part mentioned against the rack. In this way, a snug engagement with the rack and low-noise and uniform movement of the carriage are always ensured. A pressure wheel implemented as a pinion and engaging with the inner teeth of the toothed belt can also be used instead of the pressure block.

Relocation device

A workstation has a transfer device with a gripper which is suitable for gripping sample tubes by a gripper clamp and for moving them from a sample tube rack to a sample tube bucket, for example for centrifuging. The transfer device has a receiving device ( ) which can be gripped on a cylindrical upper handling part ( ) by the gripper and removed from a holder ( ) in which it has been placed in a defined position. It has an intermediate part ( ) with, on its lower end, four hooks ( ) which are arranged at the apices of a rectangle and can engage eyes in the sample tube buckets. After use, the receiving device ( ) is replaced in the holder ( ).

Receiving device and receiving means, transfer device, and workstation and method for their operation

A workstation has a feed device ( ) for sample tube racks ( ), comprising a balance ( ) in which the weight of individual sample tubes ( ) is determined by a procedure in which the sample tube holder ( ) is weighed in each case before and after removal of each sample tube ( ) and the difference between the weights is determined. Removal is effected in each case by means of a gripper ( ) of a transfer device ( ) which then distributes the sample tubes ( ) over sample tube buckets ( ) in such a way that said buckets form pairs having approximately the same weights. With the aid of a receiving device ( ) which is gripped by the gripper ( ) and removed from a holder, the sample tube buckets ( ) are picked up and introduced into a centrifuge ( ). They are removed again after centrifuging and, after the receiving device ( ) has been deposited in the holder, the individual sample tubes ( ) are removed from the sample tube buckets ( ) by the gripper and deposited on carriers ( ) of a conveying device ( ).

Method for weighing sample tubes, and workstation

A gripper housing (,) of a gripper (,) is suspended from two rotatable sliding bars the ends of which are connected to sleeves (,). One of these is provided with a turning wheel (,) meshing with a turning pinion (,) nonrotatably connected with a tong housing (,) rotatably supported on the gripper housing (,). The other is provided with a gripper wheel (,) meshing with a gripper pinion (,) which is connected with gear wheels (,) in the tong housing (,) via a gripper bolt (,) passing coaxially through the turning pinion (,). The gear wheels (,) mesh with gear racks (,) on sliders (,) which are displaceably supported in the tong housing (,) and have gripping fingers (,). By rotation of the first sliding bar, the sliders (,) with the gripping fingers (,) can be displaced relative to each other via the gripper wheel (,), gripper pinion (,), gripper bolt (,), and gear wheels (,), while by rotation of the second sliding bar the tong housing (,) can be rotated via the turning wheel (,) and the turning pinion (,).

Growing community of inventors

Männedorf, Switzerland

Fred Schinzel