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:
May. 29, 2007
Filed:
Jun. 17, 2004
Lemont Baker, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Muhidin Lelic, Manchester, CT (US);
Lemont Baker, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Muhidin Lelic, Manchester, CT (US);
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for determining the volume of liquid in a probe tip of an aspirating or dispensing probe, such as those used in a diagnostic analyzer, includes: two electrodes on opposite sides of the probe tip and the electrodes and liquid form a variable capacitor; a resistor; a voltage source and the electrodes and resistor are in electrical communication in at least one of series, parallel or series and parallel to form an RC circuit; and a microprocessor in electrical communication with the RC circuit for converting an electrical signal to a volume of liquid in the probe tip. In a preferred embodiment, the probe tip is separate from the probe and is adapted to be fitted on the end of a probe for aspirating and dispensing a liquid. In another preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a solenoid, and the voltage source, electrodes, resistor, and solenoid are in electrical communication in at least one of series, parallel or series and parallel to form an RLC circuit, and the microprocessor is in electrical communication with the RLC circuit for converting an electrical signal to a volume of liquid in the probe tip. The apparatus can be used with a liquid have a known or unknown dielectric constant and can be used to determine the presence of bubbles in the liquid.