Patents by Inventor Klaus-Guenter EBERLE

Klaus-Guenter EBERLE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170328804
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifuge (10), comprising a rotor (12), a drive shaft (14), on which the rotor (12) is supported, a motor (18), which drives the rotor (12) by means of the drive shaft (14), a supporting unit (30) having damping elements (36), each of which comprises a spring axis (36a), which supporting unit supports a rotational unit (19), which comprises the motor (18) together with the drive shaft (14) and the rotor (12), a sensor unit (82, 84) for sensing the rotational speed, a distance sensor (80) for determining imbalances of the rotational unit (19), which rotational unit rotates about an axis of rotation (14a), an acceleration sensor (88) for determining imbalances of the rotational unit (19), and a control and evaluation unit (90), which evaluates the data of the sensors (80, 82, 88), wherein the distance sensor (80) senses distance changes in an operative axis (36b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE, CHRISTOPH PABST, MARCELLUS GEISELMANN, SEBASTIAN FAHRNER, ARMIN BRENDLE
  • Publication number: 20170254826
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feeding system (10) having a feeding apparatus (30) for conveying laboratory vessels for samples, microorganisms, cell cultures or the like, and a carrier (12) having one or plural holders (16) for storing laboratory vessels, which feeding apparatus (30) has a loading area (36) and an unloading area (46) remote from the loading area (36) in which plural laboratory vessels can be stored in a vertically stacked configuration, with each receiving unit (34) being coupled to an endless conveyor unit (38) which transports the receiving unit (34) from the loading area (36) to the unloading area (46), and in which the carrier (12) can be used to introduce laboratory vessels into one or plural receiving units (34) in the loading area (36), for which purpose the carrier (12) is at least partially slid over the at least one receiving unit (34) which is to be loaded or unloaded, and for this purpose has projections (28, 32) and/or recesses that are associated with the carrier (12) and are provi
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE
  • Publication number: 20170252754
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifuge (10), having a drive shaft (12), a rotor (40) mounted on the drive shaft (12) so as to be detachable axially in a removal direction (66), a quick-action closure (54) integrated in the rotor (40) and the drive shaft (12), which closure can be used to secure the rotor (40) relative to the drive shaft (12) in a removal direction (66), an abutment (50, 52) in the drive shaft (12) which is engaged by a locking member (46) of the rotor (40), at least one blocking element (76), which—when activated—fixes the rotor (40) relative to the drive shaft (12) and which acts between the locking member (46) of the rotor (40) and the abutment (50, 52) of the drive shaft (12), which quick-action closure (54) includes a force-transmitting element (58, 72).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: ANDREAS HOELDERLE, KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE
  • Publication number: 20170209874
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifuge (10) having a centrifuge housing, a safety vessel (14) arranged in the centrifuge housing, an interior space (16) at least partially bounded by the safety vessel (14), a rotor arranged in the interior space (16), and a cooling system, arranged in the centrifuge housing, for cooling the interior space (16), having a compressor (22), a condenser (24) and an evaporator (26), which are connected together via line means. The invention is distinguished by the fact that the cooling system has a primary circuit (52) with primary line means (29) and a secondary circuit (62) with secondary line means (34), wherein the primary circuit (52) comprises the compressor (22), the condenser (24) and the evaporator (26), which is part of a heat exchanger (30), and wherein the secondary circuit (62) flows through the heat exchanger (30), cools the safety vessel (14) and is provided with a pump (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: MATTHIAS HORNEK, KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE
  • Publication number: 20170189916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifuge (10) having a safety vessel (30) with a vessel wall (32), a rotor (17), which is arranged in the safety vessel (30) and is connected via a drive shaft (20) to a drive device (22), wherein at least the drive shaft (20) extends through the safety vessel (30), a cooling system for cooling an interior space (31) of the safety vessel (30), which comprises a heat transfer medium (19) for taking up heat from the safety vessel (30), a refrigerating unit (12) and conducting means (18) for the heat transfer medium (19). The invention is distinguished by the fact that the refrigerating unit (12) is based on the magnetocaloric effect, and the interior space (31) of the safety vessel (30) is cooled by a first cooling circuit (111), the magnetocaloric effect of the refrigerating unit (12) extracts heat from the heat transfer medium (19) of the first cooling circuit (111) and feeds the heat to a second cooling circuit (113).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE, MATTHIAS HORNEK, WOLFGANG PRETER
  • Publication number: 20170121662
    Abstract: The invention relates to an incubator (10) for creating and maintaining a microclimate with controlled air humidity and temperature conditions. The incubator has a tray opening (12) for inserting trays (16) into an internal space which is bounded by walls (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d), as well as telescopic rails (20) having a first rail part (34) which can be connected to a side wall (14a, 14b) and a further second rail part (35) which can be connected to the tray (16). The invention is characterized in that the telescopic rails (20) are formed as components separately from the internal space of the incubator and from the trays (16), in that supports (22, 28) for the telescopic rails (20) are provided on the side walls (14), and in that the trays (16) can be detached from the telescopic rails (20) and the telescopic rails (20) can be detached from the supports (22, 28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Klaus-Günter EBERLE, Natascha SCHALDECKER
  • Publication number: 20170080431
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for receiving and storing containers (12), in particular test tubes. The device has at least one support bar (22) with recesses (26), a front face (16) and a standing strip (20) arranged opposite the front face (16). Once recess (26) in the support bar (22) is assigned to each container (12), said support bar being used as the first support. The standing strip (20) receives the base of the container (12) and axially secures the container (12). The invention is characterized in that a folding mechanism (40) is provided for at least two folding positions, which mechanism orients the device lying on a standing surface (14) into a first folding position at a first angle (?) to the standing surface (14) and a second folding position at a second angle (?) to the standing surface (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE, NATASCHA SCHALDECKER
  • Publication number: 20170056893
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifuge (10) comprising a housing (12), a rotor (32), a safety vessel (26) in which the rotor (32) is supported on a drive shaft (37) extending through the safety vessel (26) and a centrifuge cover (16) limiting an inner space (24) of the housing (12), wherein the safety vessel (26) is provided in the inner space (24), a gaseous coolant enters the inner space (24) via a suction opening (20), flows through the inner space (24), thereby guided laterally past the safety vessel (26) and at least sectionally past the drive motor via the rotor (32), and laterally exits the inner space (24) of the housing (12) through an outlet opening (46). The invention is characterized by a channel (41) being provided for the gaseous coolant, running around the safety vessel (26) at least in part and formed by the safety vessel (26) and at least one flow guidance (40), provided in radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE, MATTHIAS HORNEK, ROBERT HEGELE
  • Publication number: 20170050195
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor 10 of a centrifuge 100, having a receiving chamber 18 for samples to be centrifuged, a concentrically mounted seat 20 which is associated with a support 106 of a drive shaft 104 of said centrifuge 100, a lid 40 which limits the receiving chamber 18 at the top, which is mounted concentrically relative to the rotor and which has, on its side remote from the receiving chamber 18, a handle 44 for carrying the rotor and the lid 40, and a locking mechanism 50, 34b of lid 40 and rotor, which locking mechanism 50, 34b comprises a locking element 50 which can be moved between a locking position and an unlocking position thereof. In accordance with the invention, part of the handle 44 is adapted to be movable and is operatively connected to a retaining element 48b, 48c, which retaining element 48b, 48c can be moved, by means of the handle 44, between a first position which prevents actuation of the locking element 50, and a second position which releases the locking element 50.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: MATTHIAS HORNEK, RAINER PRILLA, ANDREAS HOELDERLE, KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE
  • Publication number: 20170050194
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor 10 of a centrifuge 100 having a rotor axis R, a receiving space 18 for samples to be centrifuged, a lid 40 which limits the receiving space 18 at the top, which is concentrically mounted relative to the rotor and which has, on its side remote from the receiving space 18, a handle 44 for carrying the rotor and the lid 40, and a locking mechanism of lid 40 and rotor, which mechanism is mounted in a support 52, 54 in the lid 40, said locking mechanism 50, 34b comprising a locking element 50 adapted to be movable between a locking position and an unlocking position and which has an actuating member 56 and a latching element 58, with the actuating member 56 and the latching element 58 being axially spaced from each other relative to the rotor axis R.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: MATTHIAS HORNEK, RAINER PRILLA, ANDREAS HOELDERLE, KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE
  • Patent number: 9562214
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air-conditioning space (10) for storing samples in a time-controlled manner, comprising a device (22) for automatically feeding sample containers (18) into a climatically sealed space (12) having at least one wall (43), into which a sample container (18) can be inserted into the climatically sealed space (12) through an opening (40, 42), wherein the feed device (22) has at least one drive and control unit, and an incubator receptacle (30) for receiving the samples (18) is provided inside the climatically sealed space (12). The invention is distinguished by the fact that the feed device has an automatic feed arm (22, 24) which grips a sample container (18) from a receiving position outside the climatically sealed space (12) and deposits the sample container (18) there in a clear deposit position in an incubator receptacle (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Klaus-Guenter Eberle, Gavin Clarke
  • Publication number: 20170008013
    Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifuge (10), in particular a laboratory centrifuge, comprising a rotor (12) for receiving containers with material to be centrifuged, a drive shaft (14) on which the rotor (12) is supported, a motor (18) which drives the rotor (12) via the drive shaft, a bearing unit (30) with damping elements (36) each having a spring axis (36a), and a support element (54) for fixing the motor (18) in the centrifuge via the bearing unit (30), wherein the spring axes (36a) of the damping elements (36) are placed at an acute angle ? to the rotational axis Y of the motor (18). The invention is characterized in that the bearing unit (30) comprises a plurality of struts (34), preferably 3 to 21, which are connected to the damping elements (36), wherein the struts (34) are placed and arranged so that they are concentrically aligned with the respective spring axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: KLAUS-GUENTER EBERLE, ERIK RAINER GERLACH, FRITZ WALTER BERND FIEDLER, CHRISTOPH PABST, MARCELLUS GEISELMANN, ARMIN BRENDLE
  • Publication number: 20160243300
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system box for holding a bag system and methods for separating composite liquids are described. In embodiments, a bag system may be a blood bag system used to collect blood, separate the blood into components, store the components, and utilize the components in patients. The system box may hold the blood bag system. Processes can then be performed to separate components from the blood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicants: Terumo BCT, Inc., Andreas Hettich GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Kris NACKAERTS, Makoto HIRABUKI, Marcellus GEISELMANN, Bruce ELLINGBOE, Hong Duc NGUYEN, Timothy M. TAGA, Ross TICHOTA, Tadashi IMAI, Armin BRENDLE, Christoph PABST, Roland BISET, Wilfried MERTENS, Klaus-Günter EBERLE
  • Patent number: 9381293
    Abstract: The invention refers to a centrifuge for separating whole blood into its blood components and a method for extracting a highly enriched thrombocyte concentrate out of whole blood. For this purpose, the centrifuge comprises a closed loop and/or open-loop control unit as well as a drive unit coupled to the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit, a rotor (12) having at least two container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16) for removably holding containers (18, 20, 22, 24) being in fluid communication with each other, at least one sensor arranged between the container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16b) and coupled with the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit for detecting a separation layer. Herein, a motor/gear unit (30a, 30b, 32a, 32b) coupled to the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit is associated with each of the container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Klaus-Guenter Eberle
  • Patent number: 9375729
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a cassette (2) comprising a product conveying path (1, 1a, 1b) and a positioning means (3a, 3b) engageable with a counter-piece on a centrifuge having a rotor for separating blood components or on a system component (4) arranged in a centrifuge. The positioning is effected such that a section of the product conveying path (1, 1a, 1b) is aligned with a section of the centrifuge or the system component arranged in the centrifuge. Furthermore, a tube connected with bags is accommodated in the product conveying path (1, 1a, 1b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignees: Terumo BCT, Inc., Andreas Hettich GmBH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus-Günter Eberle, Roland Biset, Wilfried Mertens
  • Patent number: 9340312
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for automatically handling a sample container (100), wherein at least one sample container (100) is taken up in a container carrier (30) in a handling device (95) and a lid (101) is gripped by a gripper head (50) with a predetermined gripping force and the lid (101) is removed by a combined movement out of a translational and rotational movement from the sample container (100). Using an optical capturing device, the lid (101) as well as the sample container (100) are analyzed and are assigned to a lid and sample container type, and that, furthermore, a required torque is assigned to each lid and/or sample container type as required for removing the lid (101), and that, starting from the required torque, the gripping force of the gripper head (50) is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Gavin Clarke, Klaus-Guenter Eberle
  • Patent number: 9242252
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a cassette (2) comprising a product conveying path (1, 1a, 1b) and a shut-off device (19a, 19b) integrated into the cassette for interrupting a product flow. The shut-off device is arranged at a rim of the cassette such that the shut-off device (19a, 19b) can be directly operated manually and/or mechanically. The product-conveying path (1, 1a, 1b) leads through the shut-off device (19a, 19b). The cassette consists of a lower part (5) and an upper part (7) which are connectable to each other by connecting means (9, 11, 13, 15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignees: Terumo BCT, Inc., Andreas Hettich GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Klaus-Günter Eberle, Roland Biset, Wilfried Mertens
  • Publication number: 20160016173
    Abstract: The invention relates to a support device (14) for supporting a bag (20) containing material to be centrifuged in a centrifuge receptacle (12), said support device (14) comprising a resiliently elastic panel (16) which—when bent—will generate a restoring force, said panel (16) being of a material and a size which will allow it to be bent elastically at least to such an extent that its two ends will contact one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Klaus-Günter EBERLE, Timo LIEBERMANN, Christoph PABST
  • Patent number: 8992403
    Abstract: A cartridge (1) for accommodating blood bags (35) to be inserted into a centrifuge is used for the separation of blood components. Said cartridge (1) is provided with a partition wall (3) which separates a blood bag section (5) positioned radially inside from a product section (7) positioned radially outside, wherein a fixture (29) for a filter (31) is provided in the product section (7), a product transport path (36) which leads from the blood bag section (5) via the fixture (29) for the filter (31) to the product section (7). The product transport path (36) coming from the blood bag section (5) leads into the fixture (29) for the filter (31) radially from the outside and from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Terumo BCT, Inc., Andreas Hettich GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus-Günter Eberle, Roland Biset
  • Patent number: 8951180
    Abstract: The invention refers to a centrifuge for separating whole blood into its blood components and a method for extracting a highly enriched thrombocyte concentrate out of whole blood. For this purpose, the centrifuge comprises a closed loop and/or open-loop control unit as well as a drive unit coupled to the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit, a rotor (12) having at least two container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16) for removably holding containers (18, 20, 22, 24) being in fluid communication with each other, at least one sensor arranged between the container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16b) and coupled with the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit for detecting a separation layer. Herein, a motor/gear unit (30a, 30b, 32a, 32b) coupled to the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit is associated with each of the container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Andreas Hettich GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus-Günter Eberle