Laboratory device unit having a laboratory device and a remote control

• US 8,574,512 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IKA-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: IKA-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Eble, Erhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMMOND, CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US13/057,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20110165023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 422/500
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/02 Identification, exchange or storage of information
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals

Abstract

A laboratory device unit (1) for processing or analyzing substances, mixtures or media, is provided having functional elements provided in or on a laboratory device (3) for carrying out said processing and/or analyzing. At least two remote controls (2, 6) are provided, wherein a range of functions of the functional elements can be used to a lesser extent with the one remote control (6) than with the other remote control (2).

Claims

1. A laboratory device unit for at least one of processing or analyzing substances, mixtures, or media, comprising a laboratory device (3) having at least one of a scale, a heater, or an agitator, with at least first and second different remote controls (2, 6) configured to control existing or adjustable parameters or detectable measurements in the laboratory device (3) including for at least one of the scale, the heater, or the agitator, the laboratory device (3) the first and second different remote controls are configured to control at least one of a capacity, a performance spectrum, a range of adjustments, or a range of measurements with regards to the adjustable parameters or detectable measurements for the at least one of the scale, the heater, or the agitator, and the first remote control (2) for operating the laboratory device (3) includes controls that are configured to allow operation of the at least one of the scale, the heater, or the agitator with respect to at least one of the capacity, the performance spectrum, the range of adjustments, or the range of measurements and the second remote control (6) for operating the laboratory device (3) includes controls that are configured to allow operation of the at least one of the scale, the heater, or the agitator with a reduction to at least one of the capacity, the spectrum, the range of adjustments, or the range of measurements.

2. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein the first remote control (2) is configured to operate at at least one of a full capacity, a full performance spectrum, a full range of adjustments, or a full range of measurements of the laboratory device (3).

3. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one additional remote control (6) is provided, which is configures to operate at interim values with regards to at least one of the capacity, the performance spectrum, the range of adjustments, or the range of measurements of the laboratory device (3).

4. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein an additional remote control (6) is provided, by which only a portion of the parameters or measurements of the laboratory device (3) are accessed or addressed or controlled.

5. A laboratory device according to claim 1, wherein all of the remote controls (2, 6) are configures to operate the full range of the existing or adjustable parameters or detectable measurements and the second remote control (2, 6) provided for recalling only a portion of the capacities or the range of the adjustment or the range of measurements, includes electronic or software blocking of higher valued functions.

6. A laboratory device unit according to claim 5, wherein the second remote control (2, 6) with higher valued functions blocked by electronics or software includes a feature for release of the electronic or software blocking.

7. The laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein the remote controls configured to operate the laboratory device (3) having different capacities or different performance spectrums or different ranges of adjustments or different ranges of measurements comprise different displays (4), with the second remote control (2, 6) for the lower capacity or the lower performance spectrum or the smaller ranges of adjustments or the smaller ranges of measurements comprising a simple display (4) and the first remote control (2, 6) for the higher performances and measurement ranges comprising a more expensive display (4).

8. A laboratory device unit according to claim 7, wherein the displays on the remote controls (2, 6) are interchangeable.

9. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein the remote control (2, 6) allocated to the laboratory device (3) are fixed thereon in a detachable fashion.

10. A laboratory device unit according to claim 9, wherein a fixation for the remote control (2, 6) to the laboratory device (3) includes contacts to charge a battery serving as a power supply for the remote control (2, 6).

11. A laboratory device unit according to claim 10, wherein the fixation comprises contacts for the laboratory device (3) at which the remote control (2, 6) is fixed to address the remote control (2, 6).

12. A laboratory device unit according to claim 9, wherein in a holding position, the remote control (2, 6) respectively fixed to the laboratory device (3) in a detachable fashion is at least one of mechanically or electrically coupled to components of the laboratory device (3) creating the parameters or the measurements.

13. A laboratory device unit according to claim 12, wherein a radio connection between the laboratory device (3) and the remote control (2, 6) is deactivated for the mechanically or electrically coupled remote controls (2, 6) and operating signals are transmitted via plug-in connections.

14. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein the laboratory device comprises a weighing function as a parameter, that is implemented by support feet located at a bottom and connected or allocated to a weighing device.

15. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein the laboratory device is a magnetic agitator (3), which is controllable with the second remote control (6) of lower capacity or lower performance spectrum at a lower rotation or within a range of lower rotations or lower heating temperature than values possible for the magnetic agitator (3) and that maximum rotations or heating temperatures or a weighing function are controllable or accessible by at least the first remote control (2).

16. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein certain control processes with changing parameters or measurements are performed using the remote control (2) for higher capacities.

17. A laboratory device unit according to claim 1, wherein the laboratory device is an agitator or a dispersing device (3) and a maximum rotation or temperature is adjustable with the first remote control (2) and with at least the second remote control (6) only values are adjustable for the rotation or temperatures that are reduced in reference to maximum values.

18. A laboratory device unit for at least one of processing or analyzing substances, mixtures, or media, comprising a laboratory device (3), with a remote control (2, 6) configured to control existing or adjustable parameters or detectable measurements in the laboratory device (3) including for at least one of a scale, a heater, or an agitator, the laboratory device (3) is provided with at least one of a capacity, a performance spectrum, a range of adjustments, or a range of measurements with regards to the adjustable parameters or detectable measurements for the at least one of the scale, the heater, or the agitator, and the remote control (2) for operating the laboratory device (3) is configured to operate a full range of the existing or adjustable parameters or detectable measurements in the laboratory device, and the remote control includes electronic or software configured to block certain functions to allow a limited range of operation of the laboratory device with respect to the adjustable parameters or detectable measurements.