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:
Nov. 25, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2007
Zhong Ding, Pittsford, NY (US);
Ed Graham, Penfield, NY (US);
Zhong Ding, Pittsford, NY (US);
Ed Graham, Penfield, NY (US);
Ortho—Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A method for aligning the position of a movable arm includes: providing an alignment element on the apparatus projecting a distance above the apparatus in the z-direction and having a surface lying in a plane formed by an x and y axis; providing a movable arm having a tool at the free end; positioning the object such that the surface of the element faces the tool; moving the tool in a direction towards the surface of the element; sensing when the tool reaches a predetermined point on or above the surface of the element, whereby the position of the tool in the z-direction is determined based on the relationship between the measured response of the tool and the height of the tool above the surface of the alignment element; placing the tool on or at a distance in the z-direction from the surface; moving the tool in the x-direction while sensing the surface of the element; moving the tool in the x-direction until an edge of the element is sensed; determining the center in the x-direction based on the known distance the tool has moved and the known dimensions of the element in the x-direction; placing the tool on or at a distance in the z-direction from the surface; moving the tool in the y-direction while sensing the surface of the element; moving the tool in the y-direction until an edge of the element is sensed; determining the center in the y-direction based on the known distance the tool has moved and the known dimensions of the element in the y-direction. In a preferred embodiment, the tool is a metering probe having a disposable tip on the end thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the measured response is the air pressure in the probe and the metering probe has a source of compressed air for expelling air out of the end of the probe and a pressure transducer for measuring the air pressure inside the metering probe.