Hewlett-packard Company

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Data Products Corporation

James E Young

Douglass McManigill

Jurgen Alfred Lux

Jurgen A Lux

Gregory Steven Lee

Richard Lawrence Baer

Sally A Swedberg

Arthur C Van Horne

Nicholas Fleming

Randy Keith Roushall

John A Christianson

Daniel L West

William Weems

David Knorr

Mark R Bateman

Kimberly Subrahmanyan

An automated liquid handling system is disclosed. A system includes a first pipetting group, which includes at least one pipettor, movably arranged on a first arm; and a second pipetting group, which includes at least one pipettor, movably arranged on a second arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are movably arranged on at least one track such that the first arm and the second arm can independently move along the at least one track while keeping the first arm parallel with the second arm, wherein the at least one pipettor of the first pipetting group is arranged on a side of the first arm facing the second pipetting group, wherein the at least one pipettor of the second pipetting group is arranged on a side of the second arm facing the first pipetting group.

Liquid handler with dual pipetting groups

A coaxial bi-modal imaging system is produced by aligning a microwave transceiver, an optical camera and an antenna array in a coaxial configuration. The microwave transceiver is operable to emit microwave radiation to illuminate an object and to receive reflected microwave radiation reflected from the object to capture a microwave image of the object. The antenna array includes a plurality of antenna elements, each programmable with a respective transmit direction coefficient to direct the microwave radiation emitted from said microwave transceiver toward a target on the object, and each programmable with a respective receive direction coefficient to direct the reflected microwave radiation reflected from said target towards said microwave transceiver. The optical camera is configured to capture an optical image of said object.

Coaxial bi-modal imaging system for combined microwave and optical imaging

An ion optic device is dimensionally stable over variations in temperature when constructed with a ceramic or glass-ceramic substrate. A conductive or resistive coating is applied on surfaces of the substrate that are required to be particularly conductive or resistive for the function of the ion optic device.

Dimensionally stable ion optic component and method of manufacturing

An apparatus, system and method of fabricating the apparatus utilize a flexible substrate to provide structural integrity for the apparatus. The apparatus is an optical path device used in mass spectrometers to manipulate ions extracted from a sample of interest. The apparatus uses traces on a surface of the flexible substrate to generate a desired electrostatic field. Preferably, the flexible substrate is made of KAPTON.RTM. and the traces are composed of stainless steel or nickel. In one embodiment, an ion mirror is formed by shaping the flexible substrate and the traces to create a hollow conduit for the ions. In another embodiment, an einzel lens is formed by varying the configuration of the conductive material on the flexible substrate. In a different embodiment, a region of resistive material on the flexible substrate is utilized to create a field gradient. The resistive material can be used to create an ion mirror.

Optical path devices for mass spectrometry

An electrophoresis system having separate internal and external voltage gradients that are vectorially coupled to determine zeta potential along the interior surface of a capillary column. The voltage gradient along the exterior of the capillary column is established such that the electrical potential at an on-column detection area is substantially equal to the electrical potential of a detector used to sense electrophoretic migration past the detection area. Typically, the capillary column is grounded at the point of detection, with the exterior voltage gradient being positive-going in one direction from the point of detection and being negative-going in the opposite direction.

Electrical potential configuration for an electrophoresis system

A method of making a capillary tube for providing increased control of electroosmotic flow in electrophoretic separation. A resistive coating solution is formed so that a tube coating having a high electrical resistivity may be achieved. An electrically conductive material, such as carbon black, is homogeneously mixed with a polymer, such as polyimide, in a solvent. The content by weight of the electrically conductive material is less than 20 percent and is preferably within 7 percent to 8 percent, relative to the content by weight of the polymer. The resistive coating solution is applied to the exterior of the tube until a thickness is reached which achieves a desired resistance across the coated exterior surface. Typically, a multi-layered coating is formed. The coating solution may be applied while rotating the capillary tube or, alternatively, while the capillary tube is drawn past an applicator.

Method of making an electrophoretic capillary tube

An electrophoretic apparatus that is useful for separation of analytes, such as proteins, comprises a capillary tube that has an interfacial layer bonded to reduce interactions between the bore and analytes during electroosmotic flow through the capillary, and an electrically modified media carried by or contacting a capillary wall outward from the bore. The modified media can be an electrically resistive coating or an electrically conductive coating. Together with appropriate power supply configurations, the electrically modified media permits the application of a voltage gradient that is transverse to the electrophoretic gradient, and provides electroosmotic flow control in cooperation with the interfacial layer.

Electroosmotic flow control apparatus for capillary electrophoresis

An electrophoresis system for controlling electroosmotic flow by affecting a zeta potential, wherein a conductive bridge provides continuity of control. A conductive coating on an optically transparent capillary tube is made of an opaque material which is removed at a detection window for on-column detection of sample constituents past the window. The conductive coating may be allowed to float relative to ground, may be grounded, or may be connected to one or more high voltage power supplies so that a potential gradient is established along the length of the conductive coating. A bridge establishes a low resistance electrical connection across the detection window, thereby establishing a continuity of external control of electroosmotic flow. In a first embodiment, the bridge is a generally flat metallic member that is adhesively bonded to the capillary tube at opposite ends of the detection window. The metallic member includes an aperture along the optical path from the on-column detector to the window. In a second embodiment the bridge is a wire that is bonded to the conductive coating at opposite ends of the window. A third embodiment is to leave a portion of the conductive coating along the length of the window at a region outside of the optical path. Another embodiment is one in which the detection window is at ground potential and the on-column detector itself is used to provide a bridge.

Conductive bridge for external control of electroosmotic flow

A system and method for controlling the rate of electroosmotic flow in capillary electrophoresis. A first high voltage power supply is electrically connected to the inlet end of a capillary tube, while a second high voltage power supply is connected at an outlet end. The potential difference across the capillary tube is therefore the difference between the high voltages. Electroosmotic flow can be controlled by varying the two high voltages correspondingly to maintain the same potential difference but to achieve a different voltage offset relative to ground. Optionally, the voltage offset may be varied during electrophoresis analysis to slow migration during periods in which constituents are closely spaced and to speed migration when constituents are sufficiently spaced apart. A conductive capillary tube coating which is preferably grounded defines an external control area for electroosmotic flow. A detector is located downstream of the external control area, so that the coating is a unitary layer.

System and method for controlling electroosmotic flow

An apparatus for electrophoretic separation comprising a fixed support structure and a cassette shell which is removably attached to the support device. Within the cassette shell is a basket having symmetrically arranged ribs to secure a capillary tube in a helical configuration. The ribs have notches to receive a loop of the helically wound capillary tube. The notches of the ribs alternate in orientation with respect to the axis of the helically wound capillary tube. A quarter-turn locking member provides electrical, optical and coolant fluid communication between the cassette shell and the support device.

Capillary zone electrophoresis cassette

An apparatus for operatively connecting an electrophoresis capillary tube to a housing assembly, wherein the connecting involves fluid, optical and electrical communication. A capillary cassette is removably fixed to the housing assembly and a detector door is pivoted into place to provide vacuum, electrical ground and optical detection of electrophoretic migration at an outlet end of the capillary tube. The vacuum connection is actuated by a cam mechanism which converts the pivoting motion of the detector door into a reciprocating motion of a vacuum connector which is selectively received within the capillary cassette. The cam mechanism includes an arcuate groove on the detector door, a fixed linear slot and a coupling of the vacuum connector, the arcuate groove and linear slot.

Retractable member for fluid, optical and electrical communication in

An apparatus is presented which protects the cabling system on a computer. The apparatus allows only bona fide users to electro/mechanically connect or disconnect cables to a computer system. The apparatus essentialy comprises a first structure and a locking cover. The first structure is attached to a first cable terminal and prevents other terminals from being electro/mechanically connected to the first cable terminal. The locking cover then prevents the first structure from being removed from the first cable terminal. In the preferred embodiment the first structure is attached to the first cable terminal by one or more screws and the locking cover prevents access to the screw(s).

Cable/computer peripheral lock

In a printing device, including a drive means such as a stepping means and a driven shaft for advancing a form, a form aligning mechanism comprises a generally cylindrical hollow knob mounted concentrically with the driven shaft by a mounting means which converts a force of sufficient magnitude applied in almost any direction to the generally cylindrical hollow knob into a longitudinal displacement of the driven shaft so as to disengage the driven shaft from the drive means, thereby permitting fine adjustment of the vertical position of the form in the printing device.

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La Honda, CA, United States of America

James E Young