Device for agitating media

• US 20090225626A1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH (Sartorius AG)
• Original Assignee: Sartorius AG
• Inventors: Clapp, Kenneth P., Goren, Len, Schmelig, Christian, Baumfalk, Reinhard, Obermann, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,186,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/151.200
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/22 with supporting means moving in a horizontal plane, e.g. describing an orbital path for moving the containers about an axis which intersects the receptacle axis at an angle

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for agitating media (1), which are located on a platform (3). Said device consists of a housing (2) with an agitation mechanism, which is used to agitate the platform (3) and at least one sensor (4, 5), which is connected to a control unit (7) that is equipped with an electronic sensor system (6). According to the invention, the sensor(s) (4, 5) and the electronic sensor system (6) are located on the platform (3) and communicate in a wireless manner with the fixed control unit (7).

Claims

1. An apparatus for agitating media which are arranged on a shelf, comprising a housing with an agitating mechanism, which can be used to cause the shelf to make agitating movements, and with at least one sensor connected to a control unit which has sensor electronics, characterized in that the at least one sensor (4, 5) and the sensor electronics (6) connected to the sensor (4, 5) are arranged on the shelf (3) and communicate wirelessly with the fixed control unit (7).

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of sensors (4, 5) are arranged on the shelf (3), in that the shelf (3) has a central data bus (10) provided on it which is used, with the aid of the sensor electronics (6), for the communication between sensors (4, 5) and a central interface (11) on the shelf (3), and in that the central interface (11) communicates wirelessly with a fixed interface (12).

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the central interface (11) has a signal transmitter (13) whose signals are received by a signal receiver (14) on the fixed interface (12), said signal receiver being connected to the control unit (7).

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the central interface (11) has a communication receiver (15) which receives signals from a communication transmitter (16) on the fixed interface (12), said communication transmitter being connected to the control unit (7).

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the fixed interface (12) is arranged on the housing (2) and is connected to the control unit (7) via a data line.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the control unit (7) is formed by a computer.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that measured signals from the sensors (4, 5) which have been collected and conditioned by the sensor electronics (6) can be routed to the central interface (11) via the central data bus (10).

8. The apparatus as claimed in claims 1, characterized in that the wireless communication is produced by means of RFID technology.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claims 1, characterized in that the wireless communication is produced by means of Bluetooth Technology.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the media (9) are in agitating flasks (8) arranged on the shelf (3).

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that a wireless sensor (4) next to the agitating flask (8) is provided for the purpose of measuring the medium (9).

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the wireless sensor (4) is an optical sensor.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the sensor (5) is a probe, which can be arranged in the agitating flask (8), with a wire link to the sensor electronics (6).

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the power supply for the sensors (4, 5) and for the sensor electronics (6) is in the form of a wireless power supply.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that a fixed power transmitter (17) is provided on the housing (2) and a power receiver (18) is provided on the shelf (3).

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that an inductive power supply is provided.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that an RFID link is installed for the power supply.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a generator which can be driven by the movement of the shelf (3) is provided for the power supply for the sensors (4, 5) and for the sensor electronics (6).