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. 30, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 16, 1999
Edmund T. Lewis, West Chester, OH (US);
Thomas B. Green, Batavia, OH (US);
Harry W. Schmidt, Fairfield, OH (US);
Larry J. DaPrato, Cincinatti, OH (US);
Greg J. Herman, Cincinatti, OH (US);
Michael A. Hill, Goshen, OH (US);
Tekmar Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A modular vial autosampler has a storage area for vials containing samples to be analyzed and at least one modular sampling station. A vial transfer mechanism includes an arm having a gripper that lifts a sample vial from the storage section, and the arm moves it to a station for identification and then to a sampling station, and under central control activates the sampling station for obtaining a sample for analysis. The vial transfer mechanism gripper is movable in X, Y, and Z directions to capture and move a selected vial and includes an alignment guide for the vials. Potentiometers are used for providing signals indicating arm position and the control is provided with updated information for calibration of the potentiometers and also updated position information for the arm relative to a fixed home position is obtained.