Mettler-toledo Gmbh

Geberit International Ag

Packsys Global (switzerland) Ltd.

René Weber

Michalis Meyer

Manuel Lechner

Daniel Keller

Jan Hofmann

A system () dispenses dosages of a powdery substance. It has a robotic handler (), a weighing module () with a weighing pan (), at least one storage rack () for holding a plurality of dispensing heads () and at least one storage rack () for holding a plurality of vials (), a dosage dispenser unit () with a dispensing head receiver (), a vial handling tool () and a dispensing head handling tool (), a tool-docking station () for the handling tools, and a controller terminal unit (). Different weighing pan adapters () adapt the weighing pan to different shapes and sizes of vials. Relative to a vertical working orientation, tlower portions of the weighing pan adapters are identical, to fit the weighing pan, but upper portions are different, to accommodate different shapes and sizes of vials. A station () is provided for storing the weighing pan adapters.

Automated dosage-dispensing system for powdery substances, and method of ascertaining that the system is ready for operation

A rotatable gripper grips and turns a container cap. When locked, a collet clamp engages the cap, and when unlocked, the clamp releases the cap. The collet clamp is elongate with a first and second ends. The first end has a substantially rigid section. The second end has a gripper section with a substantially cylindrical recess that expands in width to hold the cap when the clamp is moved from locked to unlocked. Between the rigid and gripper sections is a clamping section. An outside surface of the clamping section is conical with a width increasing towards the gripper section. Sliding a ring on the conical clamping section deforms it into the locked position, constricting the recess tightly onto a container cap. When unlocked, the recess widens, permitting the cap to be removed from the recess.

Sample preparation system with rotatable gripper

A device () allows a door of a balance draft shield enclosure () to be activated by a carrier fork () of a robot (). The vertically movable draft shield door () sets open an access opening in a raised position and closes the opening in a lowered position. A door-lifter with a force-application element () is connected to the draft shield door for application of an upward-directed vertical force. A transmitting mechanism (), standing clear of the balance () includes a force-receiving element () that is moved vertically by the carrier fork, between upper and lower end positions. It further includes at least one direction-reversing element (), coupled to the force-receiving element for coupling to the force-application element, a return spring (), and a spring-biased locking latch ().

Robot-actuated door-opening device for a draft shield enclosure of an analytical balance

A lift system for effecting a vertical parallel movement of a platform relative to a base, in particular for moving a sample changer platform of a sample changer in a weighing system, has at least three substantially identical and mutually interchangeable mechanical lift units supporting the platform. The lift units occupy an at least triangular flexible layout on the base. The lift system is equipped with a drive system that includes a transmission device and a drive element, wherein the transmission device connects the lift units among each other and to the drive element. The arrangement produces a simultaneous vertical movement of the lift units with the platform always staying aligned in a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the gravity force.

Lift system for a platform, and weighing system equipped with the lift system

A load receiver () for a balance with arms () is designed to support weights of various shapes and sizes () by cradling the weights in a depression sloped at a variable slope angle towards the middle of the load receiver. A loading stage () arranged to cooperate with the load receiver () has one or more weight-placement devices () designed so that the load receiver () can reach through the weight-placement device () without touching the latter. The loading stage () and the load receiver () are moveable up and down in relation to each other. The weight-placement device () is suitably configured to support the different weights (). The load receiver () and loading stage () are used in a mass comparator for testing weight standards with a high degree of precision.

Load receiver and loading stage for a balance, and mass comparator equipped with the load receiver and loading stage

A weight set for an electronic balance has at least two different weights () and a weight-receiving device () with receiving positions for each of the weights (). The weight set () has one lifter unit () per weight for the vertical movement of each individual weight (). The lifter units, which are equipped with a weight-seating device and reach through the weight-receiving device (), are identical and are arranged parallel to each other in the weight set ().

Growing community of inventors

Esslingen, Switzerland

René Weber