Tecan Trading Ag

Sensile Pat Ag

Thomas Geiges

Philipp Ott

Torleif Ove Bjornson

Patrick D Kinney

Adrian Sager

Sigfrid Straessler

Michael Keller

Philipp Riedel

Volfgang Vilaj

Matthias Dzung

Carsten Hase

Andreas Schenk

David Papencordt

Simon Kuenzi

Torleif Björnson

A method for aspirating a first liquid medium of two liquid media of different density from a sample container comprises: lowering a pipette of the laboratory automation device into the sample container until a pipette tip of the pipette has passed a lowering distance from the surface of the first liquid medium in the sample container, wherein the lowering distance is chosen, such that the pipette tip passes at least an aspiration volume in the sample container; aspirating liquid from the sample container during the lowering of the pipette by generating an underpressure in the pipette, wherein the first liquid medium is aspirated, and after the interface and the pipette tip pass each other, the second liquid medium of the two liquid media is aspirated; measuring a pressure in the pipette during the lowering of the pipette and detecting a position of the interface, when a slope of the pressure changes; when the lowering distance has been passed and no interface is detected, aspirating the aspiration volume from the first liquid medium and dispensing the aspiration volume of the first liquid medium into a further sample container.

Iterative liquid aspiration

Pipetting device for pipetting a liquid driven by a gaseous working medium, the pipetting device having at least one pipette connector adapted to attach a pipette at a connection opening at least one pressurizing and/or suctioning pressure source, a gas flow connection between said connection opening and at least one pressure source, a flow restriction defining at least a section of said gas flow connection, a first sensor configured to measure a quantity indicative of the temperature of the flow restriction. The invention is further directed to a gas flow connection element for a pipetting device and to a method of pipetting a liquid volume.

Pipetting device and method

A displacement device for displacing a displacement volume is disclosed. The device has a first fluid space and a second fluid space. A first piston is arranged in a movable manner within the first fluid space. The first fluid space is connectable to a pipetting device. The first piston is actuatable by an actuation volume of air or of liquid provided by the pipetting device. A second piston is arranged in a movable manner within the second fluid space. The second piston is constructed to displace a displacement volume of a fluid located within the second fluid space when the second piston is actuated. The second piston is actuated in dependence on the first piston that is actuated by the actuation volume. The actuation volume is different from the displacement volume, and a pipetting system has a displacement device and a method of displacing a displacement volume.

Displacement device and method for displacing fluid volumes

A robotic arm of an automated pipetting system has a pipetting tip adapter and a slide switch to detect the presence of pipetting tips on the pipetting tip adapter is disclosed. The slide switch has first support member and second support member configured to slide relative to one another between first and second positions along a movement axis, an electrically conducting contact pad arranged on the first support member, an electrically conducting terminal physically attached to second support member in physical contact with the contact pad when support members are in first position, where the terminal is a first resilient wiping member expanding along the movement axis, first wiping member is not in physical contact with the contact pad when support members are in second position, and an electric current can flow between first wiping member and the contact pad when support members are in first position.

Robotic arm of an automated pipetting system

The invention relates to a pipetting device having an exchangeable pipette tip for suctioning and discharging fluid volumes for use in automated laboratory systems. The invention relates to a pipetting device having a pipette tip detection unit and for detecting a pipette tip on a pipette device of this type. A detection unit detects whether a pipette tip is connected to the pipette tube or determines a characteristic feature of the connected pipette tip. The pipette tip forms at least one portion of a first electrode when the pipette tip is in electrical operative contact with the pipette tube and, e.g., a pipette tip holder, a contact for setting down the pipette tip holder or a working table over which the pipette tube can be moved forms at least one portion of a second electrode.

Pipetting device having a pipette tip detection unit and method for detecting a pipette tip on a pipetting device

Optical measuring apparatus for analysis of samples contained in liquid drops includes a liquid handling system with at least one liquid handling tip. The apparatus has a light source for irradiating the drop, a detector for measuring sample light, an optics system with first optical elements for transmitting irradiation light, and a processor for processing measurement signals. The drop is suspended at the liquid handling orifice of the tip in a position where the drop is penetrated by a first optical axis defined by the light source and the first optical elements. The drop is physically touched only by the liquid handling tip and the liquid sample inside the tip. The tip is attached to a robot arm which adjusts the position of the liquid drop with respect to at least one optical element of the optics system.

Optical measuring apparatus and method for the analysis of samples contained in liquid drops

An optical measuring apparatus and method for analysis of samples contained in liquid drops provided by a liquid handling system has a liquid handling tip. A light source irradiates the liquid drop; a detector measures sample light; and an optics system with first optical elements transmits irradiation light, and a processor processes the measurement signals. The liquid drop is suspended at the liquid handling orifice of the liquid handling tip in a position where the liquid drop is penetrated by a first optical axis defined by the light source and the first optical elements. The liquid drop is physically touched only by the liquid handling tip and the liquid sample inside the liquid handling tip. A mutual adaption of the size and position of the liquid drop with respect to the first optical elements is achieved.

Growing community of inventors

Mannedorf, Switzerland

Thomas Geiges