Patents Represented by Attorney S. R. Markl
  • Patent number: 4750133
    Abstract: A method of validating measurement of a kinetic chemical reaction comprises a first tier of validation to validate the ability of a measurement and detection system to provide accurate data, a second tier of validation to validate the initiation and control of the kinetic chemical reaction and a third tier of validation which verifies first that the expected kinetic chemical reaction has proceeded in a characteristic manner and direction, and second, that parameters of the chemical reaction are within limitations characteristic of the measurement and detection system of a measuring instrument investigating the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1988
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Eiskamp, William M. Blough, Robert T. Bell
  • Patent number: 4744657
    Abstract: A record of calibration data containing determined values required for accurate operation of a scientific instrument measuring transmissions or absorbance of light in analysis is provided. A method of maintaining and using the records generated by the instrument permits use of the instrument to determine which records are required for efficient and easy instrument usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank M. Aralis, Barry S. Master
  • Patent number: 4694176
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for indicating quench associated with a liquid scintillation solution wherein the solution includes a sample, a solvent and a solute. The method includes exposing the solution to flashes of light, detecting a pulse height spectrum for scintillations produced in the solution in response to the light flashes, determining a unique point on such pulse height spectrum, and relating the unique point to a corresponding pulse height value, such pulse height value providing an indication of quench associated with the solution. The wavelength of light preferably excites essentially only the solvent and the light flash intensity and duration is such that the pulse height spectrum produced in response to the light flashes does not overlap a pulse height spectrum for the sample in the solution. An attribute of the shape of the light pulse height spectrum may be examined to provide an indication of the homogeneous or non-homogeneous nature of the quench present in the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Horrocks
  • Patent number: 4661705
    Abstract: A method for use with liquid scintillation flow systems including flowing a mixture comprising a sample and a liquid scintillation medium through a flow detector, the liquid scintillation medium including a radionuclide marker having an energy distribution different from the sample. A pulse height distribution spectrum is determined and a unique point on the portion of the pulse height distribution spectrum representing the energy spectrum of the medium is found, a pulse height value related to such unique point providing a value related to the degree of quench present in the mixture. By comparing such pulse height value to a pulse height value obtained in a like manner for a calibration standard, a degree of quench present in the mixture is indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Horrocks
  • Patent number: 4605920
    Abstract: A prescaling device and method including a timer for generating a timing signal at the end of each of a plurality of timing periods and an integrator for integrating an input signal to generate an integrator output signal proportional thereto. The integrator can hold the integrator output signal in response to hold signal. A comparator is responsive to the integrator output signal for generating a signal when the integrator output exceeds a predetermined level. Control logic generates the hold signal in response to the comparator signal and the timing signal whereby integration is halted at the end of one of the timing periods. A counter counts the timing signals to thereby determine the number of timing periods elapsing prior to the halt of integration. The number of timing periods is indicative of an integration timing range which in turn is indicative of a scaling factor which may be applied to the held output of the integrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan C. Naisuler
  • Patent number: 4596462
    Abstract: Spectrophotometer purge apparatus comprising a sample compartment including a plurality of walls defining a first sample purge volume. The apparatus may further include a volume reducing wall and fastening means for removably fixing the volume reducing wall within the sample compartment to thereby define a second sample purge volume smaller than the first sample purge volume. A purge gas inlet introduces purge gas into the sample purge volumes. Further the apparatus may comprise a movable partition forming one of the plurality of walls and the volume reducing wall. In such an embodiment, the fastening means may further include means for removably fixing the movable partition to thereby define the first sample purge volume. The apparatus advantageously enables the sample purge volume to be adjusted as required to thereby optimize purge efficiency in a spectrophotometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1986
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Helphrey
  • Patent number: 4589540
    Abstract: A transfer mechanism for movement of sample containing vials from a first position to a second position in an analyzer instrument such as a liquid scintillation or a gamma counting device. The apparatus is particularly adaptable where available space is limited. A flexible transport member permits the transformation of movement in one direction into movement in another direction. Sensors and adjusting screws are incorporated into the apparatus for precisely controlling the travel distance of the transport member as well as precisely orienting the direction of the transport member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard S. Kampf
  • Patent number: 4574196
    Abstract: In a liquid scintillation counter a standard radioactive source is supported within the tubular bore of a flexible coil spring conveyor. Spacer elements within the coil spring retain the source at a predetermined axial position along the spring. The coil spring is disposed in sliding engagement along a conveyor guideway. A drive roller drivingly engages the spring for conveying the source along the guideway between an operating position adjacent the counting chamber and a remote shielded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1986
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard S. Kampf
  • Patent number: 4568325
    Abstract: A breakaway base for use with an ultracentrifuge rotor wherein the base is designed to fracture when the rotor is above a specified speed so that the rotor will disengage from the drive spindle of the centrifuge. The base has cutout areas to establish a high stress region that is designed to fracture above a specified rotor speed. The cutout areas are designed to receive lugs projecting from the bottom of the rotor. The cutout areas have slotted ledges through which fastening bolts connect to the lugs on the rotor. The fracture of the base in the high stress region in conjunction with the slotted ledges will result in the base fracturing into two parts which will cause rotor disengagement from the drive spindle of the centrifuge and prevent the rotor from spinning at a greater speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. W. Cheng, Steven J. Chulay
  • Patent number: 4564795
    Abstract: An improved motor speed control system for high speed, high resolution motor control applications such as centrifuges is presented. A proportional, or proportional and integral motor control system is provided with improved circuitry which uses digital phase lock techniques to generate a speed difference signal that accurately reflects the difference between the actual and desired speed of the motor. This speed difference signal is used to adjust the speed of the motor until the actual and desired speeds become approximately equal to one another. An error integrating network may then be enabled to eliminate any remaining difference between actual and desired speed, thereby assuring a negligible speed error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1986
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Parkes, Robert C. Franklin
  • Patent number: 4553955
    Abstract: A centrifuge rotor is provided with a plurality of cavities having a non-circular cross-section for receiving mating multi-angle adapters, which may be inserted in the cavities with selected rotational alignment about the cavity axes, to determine a plurality of select angle receiving chambers in the rotor for sample containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Kin C. Lam, Ronald K. Williams
  • Patent number: 4514085
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for authenticating documents such as government notes and currency, stock certificates, and the like by marking the document with an encapsulated dyed liquid crystal material and examining the document for unique optical characteristics of the mark. Reading apparatus for the document measures changes in reflectivity of the liquid crystal mark with changes in an electrical field applied thereto. In other embodiments, reflectivity is measured at a plurality of different wavelengths. In one embodiment, the dye absorbs in regions of the electromagnetic spectrum "invisible" to the human eye and the reading apparatus monitors reflectivity changes at these invisible wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Wilbur I. Kaye
  • Patent number: 4501565
    Abstract: A hanger for supporting one side of a swinging bucket in a centrifuge rotor. The hanger is adapted for use in pairs, mounted one on each side of a space in a rotor, for containing a swinging bucket. The hanger is provided with an opening for receiving the pivot pins of the bucket and supporting it thereby. Ramp means are disposed on the upper side of the hanger for guiding the pivot pin of the bucket into the opening in the hanger, thereby enabling the pivot pin to be self-seating in the hanger through the effect of gravity when the bucket is deposited in the rotor. The hanger includes spring means for enabling the pivot axis of the bucket to move radially outward in response to centrifugal force and enable the bucket to engage a portion of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1985
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Alireza Piramoon
  • Patent number: 4497542
    Abstract: In an optical instrument including a birefringent liquid crystal cell of the type consisting of a pair of transparent plates and a zero-twist, nematic-phase, liquid crystal material with a positive dielectric anisotropy between the plates, the liquid crystal molecules being oriented in and tilting in a plane perpendicular to the cell plates, a beam of light being conducted through the cell, generally normal to the plates thereof, it has been observed that if all of the rays of the beam are not collimated, each ray will suffer a different retardation in passing through the cell and this is unacceptable in most applications. This problem is minimized, according to the present invention, by using a filament light source positioned with the filament axis normal to the plane of the tilting molecule axes or by using two liquid crystal cells between a pair of polarizers, one of the cells being rotated 180.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1985
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Wilbur I. Kaye
  • Patent number: 4488051
    Abstract: Apparatus for establishing a "home" position for a load element driven axially along the lead screw. A position sensor includes a first sensor element attached for axial travel with the load element and a second sensor element attached for rotation with the lead screw. The pair of sensor elements is operatively aligned at a predetermined relative axial and rotational position establishing the "home" position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Brown, Roy W. Aday, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4479054
    Abstract: An assembly for sealing the access passageway to a detector chamber in a scintillation counter instrument. The seal is designed to prevent the entry of any exterior light or environment that could affect the counting or scintillation process when a sample is positioned in the detector chamber. The sealing mechanism operates in conjunction with the scintillation instrument's flexible transport or elevator mechanism that moves a sample containing vial into the detector chamber. A plurality of rotating blades engage the elevator mechanism to form the tight seal. Included in the arrangement is a redundant system to provide a dual sealing capability. The sealing mechanism operates in conjunction with the flexible transport member which allows itself to be centered by the sealing mechanism to achieve the required light seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Kampf, Henry G. Dowling
  • Patent number: 4442722
    Abstract: Plunger operated pipet operable to execute different lengths of plunger movement during successive fluid pickup and fluid discharge operations or strokes. A stop member is movable between first and second locations in the pipet body to halt plunger movement at two different positions. A drive spring for driving the stop member from one location to the other is energized by a manually operable arming element and is retained in one location against action of the drive spring during a first plunger stroke. A release mechanism responsive to plunger movement during the first stroke disables the retaining means allowing the drive spring to move the stop member to the second location at which position the plunger is halted during the succeeding discharge stroke. The arming element is actuated by and in response to positioning of a replaceable tip on the pipet body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. Meyer
  • Patent number: 4435989
    Abstract: Plunger operated pipet operable to execute different lengths of plunger movement during successive fluid pickup and fluid discharge operations or strokes. A stop member is movable between first and second locations in the pipet body to halt plunger movement at two different positions. A drive spring for driving the stop member from one location to the other is energized by a manually operable arming element and is retained in one location against action of the drive spring during a first plunger stroke. A release mechanism responsive to plunger movement during the first stroke disables the retaining means allowing the drive spring to move the stop member to the second location at which position the plunger is halted during the succeeding discharge stroke. The arming element is actuated by and in response to positioning of a replaceable tip on the pipet body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1984
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Meyer, Edward L. Carroll
  • Patent number: D277979
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh O. Brown, James R. Lindsay