Tecan Trading Ag

Markus Wiggli

Fred Schinzel

Nicolas Cors

Nico Birkner

Thomas Iten

Marina Knoppke

Bronwen Forster

Hanspeter Romer

Adi Zuppiger

Markus Schöni

Peter Muerset

Gregor Batliner

Alois Oberholzer

Peter Mürset

Markus SCHÖNI

A device which has a deliverable sensor, a container for receiving a liquid, a container environment and a signal processing circuit, the input side of which can be connected circuitry-wise to the sensor. The device is designed to perform a capacitive liquid level measurement in normal operation using the sensor, wherein a threshold value can be predefined for the signal processing circuit for normal operation. The device has a classification module which can be connected with an input side or line connection circuitry-wise to the sensor, is designed to make a capacitive measurement of the liquid in the container using the sensor and can be connected circuitry-wise to the signal processing circuit in order to trigger the specification of a threshold value using the sensor for capacitive measurement of the liquid.

Method for the automated classification of a liquid as well as method for the automated adaption of presettings for a capacitive liquid level measurement

A device () which comprises a deliverable sensor (), a container () for receiving a liquid (), a container environment () and a signal processing circuit (), the input side () of which can be connected circuitry-wise to the sensor (). The device () is designed to perform a capacitive liquid level measurement in normal operation using the sensor (), wherein

Method and device for the automated classification of a liquid as well as method and device for the automated adaption of presettings for a capacitive liquid level measurement

A device for detecting a phase boundary in a liquid tank a sensor that can be advanced in the direction of the phase boundary in the liquid tank. A circuit processes an output signal of the sensor to detect a change in capacitance and has a first channel with a first filter module to filter out a first signal having a short pulse width from the output signal and a second channel having a second filter module to filter out a second signal having a greater pulse width from the output signal. A controller module with comparator module determines whether the first signal reaches a first threshold value and a processing module determines whether the second signal meets predefined second signal criteria.

Method and apparatus for detecting phase boundaries and correspondingly equipped laboratory device

An inlet valve charges an inner chamber with liquid and has a first axis and an inlet opening with a tool that automatically recloses. The inlet valve has a valve body with a blocking element, and a pressing part; a valve space enclosing the valve body at least partly; a spring mechanism and a sealing element. An open passage region opens into the liquid passage of the pressing part and into the valve space. The spring mechanism presses a sealing surface of the blocking element against the sealing element in a closed position of the valve body. The valve body of the inlet valve can be brought to an open position by pressing the pressing part against the resistance of the spring mechanism. Chamber systems and sample containers with such inlet valves are also disclosed.

Inlet valve for chamber systems and sample containers, and chamber systems and sample containers with such inlet valves

An inlet valve charges an inner chamber of a system or sample container with liquid and has a first pipetting axis, an inlet opening, it supplies liquid by a laboratory pipette that is automatically reclosed and also has a valve body with a blocking element, a pressing part and a throat, a valve space enclosing the valve body at least partly near the throat, a spring mechanism and a sealing element. The throat connects the blocking element to the pressing part and has an open passage region which opens into the liquid passage of the pressing part and into the valve space. The spring mechanism presses a sealing surface of the blocking element against the sealing element in a closed position of the valve body. The valve body can be brought to an open position by pressing the pressing part against the spring mechanism.

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.

Growing community of inventors

Tann, Switzerland

Markus Wiggli