The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 08, 2025
Filed:
Jan. 17, 2019
Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, JP;
Tsutomu Okoba, Kyoto, JP;
Shohei Sato, Kyoto, JP;
SHIMADZU CORPORATION, Kyoto, JP;
Abstract
In a sucking operation, predetermined amount of a sample is sucked by using a needle from a sample container in which the sample to be analyzed is contained. A sensor circuit, which is electrically conducted to the needle, outputs different levels of signals when a tip of the needle is in contact with liquid and when the tip of the needle is not in contact with liquid. A liquid-contacting detector detects whether the tip of the needle is in air or in liquid by comparing a sensor signal value obtained from a signal output from the sensor circuit during the sucking operation with a preset threshold value. An empty container determiner determines that the sample container is empty when the liquid-contacting determiner detects a change during the sucking operation that the tip of the needle is changed from being in liquid to being in air.