Electronic metering apparatus for metering liquids

• US 8,028,592 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eppendorf Se
• Original Assignee: Eppendorf AG
• Inventors: Schmidt, Peter, Molitor, Peter, Andres, Karl-Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US11/833,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 738/641.6, 738/641.4, 738/641.8, 738/633.2, 7386301-86303, 222/14, 222/63, 222/23
• US Class Current: 73/864.16
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/14 Process control and prevention of errors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/027 Digital display, e.g. LCD, LED
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0227 Details of motor drive means B01L3/0231, B01L3/0234 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 Control of the volume dispensed or introduced

Abstract

An electronic metering apparatus for metering liquids, with a longitudinal, handleable housing, a drive, arranged in the housing, with an electric motor, at least one displacer device, arranged in the housing or being capable to be arranged on the same, with a displacer element, which is connected to the drive and/or connectable to the same, at least one holding device on the bottom end of the housing for holding a pipette point or a syringe, at least one electric operational control in or on the housing, at least one electric information device in or on the housing, an electric control unit arranged in the housing, which is connected to the electric motor, the electric operational control and the electric information device, and which controls the information device depending on the position and/or previous changes of the position of the displacer element, in order to put out an information concerning the next reasonable dislocation of the displacer element, and an electric power supply.

Claims

1. An electronic metering apparatus for metering liquids the apparatus having

a longitudinal, handleable housing (2);

a drive (7), arranged in the housing (2), with an electric motor (8);

at least one displacer device (9, 10), connected to the housing (2), with a displacer element (10), which is connected to the drive (7);

at least one holding device (5) on the bottom end of the housing (2) for holding a metering device selected from the group consisting of a pipette point (6) and a syringe;

at least one electric operational control (18 to 21) connected to the housing (2);

at least one electric information device (25, 26) connected to the housing (2);

an electric control unit (22) arranged in the housing (2), which is connected to the electric motor (8), the electric operational control (18 to 21) and the electric information device (25, 26), and which controls the information device (25, 26) depending on the position and/or previous changes of the position of the displacer element (10), in order to put out an information concerning the next reasonable dislocation of the displacer element (10);

and an electric power supply (23);

wherein the electric operation control (18 to 21) comprises a pair of electric control keys (20, 21) for controlling the dislocation of the displacer element (10), wherein the two control keys (20, 21) control the dislocation of the displacer element (10) in different directions.

2. A metering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displacer device (9, 10) comprises a cylinder (9) with a plunger (10) arranged to be movable alongside therein.

3. A metering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information device (25, 26) comprises at least one electric-optic unit.

4. A metering apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information device (25, 26) comprises at least one electric light source.

5. A metering apparatus according to claim 1, which has an electric-optic display device (16) with a display surface observable from the outside.

6. A metering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the information device is the display device.

7. A metering apparatus according to claim 1, which has an angled housing head (4) on the upper end of a longitudinal housing shaft (3) and which has the electric operational control (18 to 21) and/or the electric display device (16) on the housing head (4).

8. A metering apparatus according to claim 1, with an electric mode key (18) and an electric parameter key (19) for changeover between different menus, wherein the two control keys (20, 21) are arranged next to each other and further control the navigation in the menus and the setting of parameters, an electric display device (16) for displaying menus and parameters, wherein the electric control unit (22) is connected to the electric mode key (18), the electric parameter key (19), the electric control keys (20, 21) and the electric display device (16), and controls the display of menus and parameters by the display device (16) as well as the dislocation of the displacer element (10) corresponding to the actuation of the mode key (18), the parameter key (19) and the control keys (20, 21).

9. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit (22) controls the indication by the display device (16) of submenus concerning certain modes of operation of the metering apparatus and of a main menu, comprising plural modes of operation, corresponding to the actuation of the mode key (18) and the parameter key (19).

10. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon actuation of the mode key (18), the control unit (22) controls the changeover from a submenu concerning one certain mode of operation of the metering apparatus into a main menu concerning plural modes of operation of the metering apparatus and/or the changeover from the aforementioned main menu into a submenu concerning a certain mode of operation of the metering apparatus with selectable menu items and/or the changeover from the aforesaid submenu into a submenu concerning the same mode of operation, in which the parameter of a selected menu item can be set, and/or the changeover with transfer of a set parameter from the aforesaid submenu into the submenu concerning the same mode of operation with selectable menu items.

11. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon actuation of the parameter key (19), the control unit (22) controls the changeover from a submenu concerning one certain mode of operation of the metering apparatus into a submenu concerning the same mode of operation with selectable menu items and/or the start of metering processes in the mode of operation of the aforesaid submenu and/or the start of metering processes in a mode of operation which corresponds to a selected menu item of the main menu.

12. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon actuation of the control keys (20, 21), the control unit (22) controls the movement of a pointer (24) to different menu items in the main menu, and/or the movement of the pointer to different menu items in a submenu concerning a certain mode of operation with selectable menu items, and/or the adjustment of the parameter in a submenu in which the parameter of a selected menu item is settable, and/or the movement of the displacer element (9) after the start of a metering process.

13. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control keys (20, 21) are realised as rocker key.

14. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit (22) controls the display of the respective function of the mode key (18) and/or the parameter key (19) and/or the control keys (20, 21) by means of the display device (16).

15. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit (22) controls the dislocation of the displacer element (9) of the displacer device (9, 10) as long as the push at one of the control keys (20, 21) lasts and it stops the dislocation of the displacer element (9) as long as the control keys (20, 21) are released.

16. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one of the two electric control keys (21) has a second switching point, the electric control unit (22) ordering the execution of an overblow stroke by the displacer element (10) when the second switching point is reached.

17. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, which has a display device (16) in a housing head (4) of the housing (3) and the electric mode key (18) and/or the electric parameter key (19) and/or the electric control keys (20, 21) below the display device (16).

18. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mode key (18) and the parameter key (19) are arranged next to each other, and/or the control keys (20, 21) are arranged on top of each other.

19. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one control key (20, 21) is arranged between the mode key (18) and the parameter key (19).

20. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a discarder key (13) is arranged below the mode key (18) and/or the parameter key (19) and/or the control keys (20, 21).

21. A metering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mode key (18), the parameter key (19) and the control keys (20, 21) are arranged on the topside of a connecting region between the longitudinal housing shaft (3) and the housing head (4) angled with respect to the same.

22. A metering apparatus according to claim 21, in wherein the discarder key (13) is arranged in the connecting region between the housing shaft (3) and the housing head (4).

23. A metering apparatus according to claim 1, which is a single or multi channel metering apparatus.

24. A metering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein that control key (21) which is arranged next to the holding device (5) has the second switching point for triggering the overblow stroke.