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:
Jan. 25, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 02, 2001
Christopher F. Carney, Wilmington, DE (US);
Fred L. Ferguson, Wilmington, DE (US);
John R. Reader, Newark, DE (US);
Weidong Liu, West Chester, PA (US);
Jay A. Crosby, Newark, DE (US);
Christopher F. Carney, Wilmington, DE (US);
Fred L. Ferguson, Wilmington, DE (US);
John R. Reader, Newark, DE (US);
Weidong Liu, West Chester, PA (US);
Jay A. Crosby, Newark, DE (US);
TA Instruments-Waters, LLC, New Castle, DE (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to an automatic sampler device. According to one aspect, the automatic sampler includes a cell having a sample platform and a reference platform; a sample tray; and a sample arm. The sample tray has wells into which sample pans and reference pans are inserted. The geometry of the automatic sampler device permits the sample platform, the reference platform, and the wells in the sample tray to be accessed by the sample arm along a common arc. According to another aspect, the automatic sampler device includes a sample tray with wells, a sample arm, and a gripper device. The gripper device has gripping fingers. The gripping fingers open or close in a manner that tends to center objects grasped by the gripper device. According to another aspect, the automatic sampler device includes a sample tray with wells, a sample arm, and a gripper device. The sample arm has an optical sensor and an electrical sensor. The optical sensor and electrical sensor can be used to detect a pan grasped by the gripper device. According to another aspect, the automatic sampler device includes a sample tray with wells, a sample arm, and a gripper device. The gripper advice is capable of grasping pans of different sizes.