Liquid Transfer Device with Integrated Non-Contact Liquid Fill Height and Distance Sensor, and Methods

• US 20200132534A1
• Filed: 12/26/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hans-Christian Luedemann
• Original Assignee: Hans-Christian Luedemann
• Inventors: Luedemann, Hans-Christian
• Application Number:
  US16/727,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20200132534A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0663 Whole sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0217 of the plunger pump type medical syringes A61M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/0608 Height gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 17/02 for measuring thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/0209 Low-coherence interferometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/292 Light , e.g. infrared or ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2928 using light reflected on the material surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1009 Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method combining a liquid transfer device with a non-contact liquid fill height sensor to improve the reliability, accuracy, and precision of liquid transfers and to determine liquid fill height and liquid volume in a container before or after liquid transfers.

Claims

1. A system for transferring a volume of liquid into or out of a container that is configured to hold the liquid, wherein the liquid in the container has a free surface, the system comprising:

a liquid transfer mechanism;

a non-contact distance sensor; and

a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to;

position the non-contact distance sensor such that the distance sensor can be used to determine the distance between the distance sensor and the container and the distance between the distance sensor and the free surface of the liquid in the container;

record the position of the distance sensor when the distance is determined; and

position the liquid transfer mechanism in a desired position relative to the free surface of the liquid in the container or in a desired position relative to the container, wherein the desired position is calculated based on the determined distance between the distance sensor and the container or the free surface of the liquid in the container and the recorded position of the distance sensor when this distance was determined and a desired relative position of the liquid transfer mechanism and the container or the free surface of the liquid in the container.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is a low-coherence interferometric fill height sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is an ultrasonic distance sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is a sensor based on optical triangulation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is an optical confocal sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is attached to the liquid transfer mechanism.

7. A system for transferring a volume of liquid into or out of a container that is configured to hold the liquid, wherein the liquid in the container has a free surface, the system comprising:

a liquid transfer mechanism;

a non-contact distance sensor; and

a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to;

position the non-contact distance sensor such that the distance sensor can be used to determine the distance between the distance sensor and the container and the distance between the distance sensor and the free surface of the liquid in the container;

record the position of the distance sensor when the distances are determined;

calculate the fill heights of the liquid in the container before and after the liquid transfer based on differences of the determined distance of the container from the sensor, and the determined distance to the free surface of the liquid in the container or the container before and after the liquid transfer; and

transfer a desired volume of liquid to or from the container using the calculated fill heights and the liquid transfer mechanism.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the control unit is further configured to calculate the volume of the liquid in the container before and after a liquid transfer based on known dimensions of the container and the fill heights of the liquid in the container before and after a liquid transfer.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is a low-coherence interferometric fill height sensor.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is an ultrasonic distance sensor.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is a sensor based on optical triangulation.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is an optical confocal sensor.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is attached to the liquid transfer mechanism.

14. A method for transferring a volume of liquid into or out of a container that is configured to hold the liquid, wherein the liquid in the container has a free surface, the method using a liquid transfer mechanism, a non-contact distance sensor, and a control unit, the method comprising:

using the control unit to;

position the non-contact distance sensor such that the distance sensor can be used to determine the distance between the distance sensor and the container and the distance between the distance sensor and the free surface of the liquid in the container;

record the position of the distance sensor when the distance is determined; and

position the liquid transfer mechanism in a desired position relative to the free surface of the liquid in the container or in a desired position relative to the container, wherein the desired position is calculated based on the determined distance between the distance sensor and the container or the free surface of the liquid in the container and the recorded position of the distance sensor when this distance was determined and a desired relative position of the liquid transfer mechanism and the container or the free surface of the liquid in the container.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is a low-coherence interferometric fill height sensor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is an ultrasonic distance sensor.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is a sensor based on optical triangulation.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is an optical confocal sensor.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-contact distance sensor is attached to the liquid transfer mechanism.

20. A method for transferring a volume of liquid into or out of a container that is configured to hold the liquid, wherein the liquid in the container has a free surface, the method using a liquid transfer mechanism, a non-contact distance sensor, and a control unit, the method comprising:

using the control unit to;

position the non-contact distance sensor such that the distance sensor can be used to determine the distance between the distance sensor and the container and the distance between the distance sensor and the free surface of the liquid in the container;

record the position of the distance sensor when the distances are determined;

calculate the fill heights of the liquid in the container before and after the liquid transfer based on differences of the determined distance of the container from the sensor, and the determined distance to the free surface of the liquid in the container or the container before and after the liquid transfer; and

transfer a desired volume of liquid to or from the container using the calculated fill heights and the liquid transfer mechanism.