Process for putting into operation and for operating a measuring device
First Claim
1. A measuring device comprising:
- an electronic unit including a central control unit, a sequential control and a control chart;
an optical analysis unit with an optical reading element;
a metering unit;
a fluid tank containing a developer fluid;
a holder for said fluid tank;
a temperature regulating unit;
a test sample holder;
a heating/cooling element with a tempering block for generating a tempered zone of the test sample holder;
a first temperature sensor;
a second temperature sensor, said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor being provided for detecting an ambient temperature and a temperature of the tempering block respectively, said central control unit selectively setting a temperature of said tempering block based on the ambient temperature and information from said control chart, said control unit controlling a set temperature of said tempering block using said second temperature sensor; and
a contact means for controlling the measuring operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Tempering of sample (58) in test strip (37) is carried out by temperature regulating unit (40) and heating/cooling unit (92). The sample is fed to the test strip by a developer fluid (57) and a metering unit (55). The result of the detection reaction becomes visible by a change in color (36), which is detected optically and analyzed. The data of a control chart (52) with the measured values of first and second temperature sensors (41, 42) are used to set the control parameters for tempering. Code (86) on the test sample holder (35) is read in a sequence of steps. Parameters for phases of the measurement are determined from measured values of first and second temperature sensors, values of the control chart and the code of the test sample holder. These parameters are used by the temperature regulating unit during the measurement.
24 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A measuring device comprising:
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an electronic unit including a central control unit, a sequential control and a control chart; an optical analysis unit with an optical reading element; a metering unit; a fluid tank containing a developer fluid; a holder for said fluid tank; a temperature regulating unit; a test sample holder; a heating/cooling element with a tempering block for generating a tempered zone of the test sample holder; a first temperature sensor; a second temperature sensor, said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor being provided for detecting an ambient temperature and a temperature of the tempering block respectively, said central control unit selectively setting a temperature of said tempering block based on the ambient temperature and information from said control chart, said control unit controlling a set temperature of said tempering block using said second temperature sensor; and a contact means for controlling the measuring operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A measuring device for measuring a test sample in a test sample holder, the device comprising:
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a housing; a tempering zone arranged in said housing, said tempering zone being receivable of the test sample holder, said tempering zone being capable of adjusting a temperature of the test sample holder when the test sample holder is in said tempering zone; a fluid tank arranged in said housing to flow a developer fluid to the test sample holder, when the test sample holder is in said tempering zone; an optical analysis unit arranged in said housing, said optical analysis unit including an optical reading element arranged to read the test sample holder when the test sample holder is in said tempering zone, said optical analysis unit measuring details of the test sample in the test sample holder; a first temperature sensor connected to said housing and measuring an ambient temperature of air inside said housing; a second temperature sensor connected to said housing and measuring a temperature of said tempering zone which adjusts the temperature of the test sample holder; a control unit connected to said tempering zone, connected to said first temperature sensor and connected to said second temperature sensor, said control unit selectively setting a temperature of said tempering zone based on the ambient temperature. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A process for operating a measuring device comprising an electronic unit including a central control unit, a sequential control and a control chart, an optical analysis unit with an optical reading element, a metering unit, a fluid tank containing a developer fluid, a holder for the fluid tank, a temperature regulating unit, a test sample holder, a heating/cooling element with a tempering block for generating a tempered zone of the test sample holder, temperature sensors for detecting the ambient temperature and the temperature of the tempering block and a contact means for controlling the measuring operation, the process comprising the steps of:
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transferring a section of a process control from the central control unit to the sequential control and to the temperature regulating unit; polling first and second of the temperature sensors and preparing the temperature regulating unit; inserting the test sample holder into the measuring device; closing the measuring device by closing a measuring device housing door; polling one or more contact elements; polling a code on the test sample holder; using the control chart, the code and the measured values of the temperature sensors to determine control parameters for tempering; tempering of the tempering block and setting the temperature of the tempering block by the temperature regulating unit based on the ambient temperature; metering the developer fluid onto a sample by means of the metering unit; additional tempering of the tempering block and setting of the temperature of the tempering block by the temperature regulating unit is performed after said metering; ending tempering; and transferring the process control to the central control unit. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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Specification