Patents Assigned to Tecan Trading AG
  • Patent number: 11199433
    Abstract: A device which has a deliverable sensor, a container for receiving a liquid, a container environment and a signal processing circuit, the input side of which can be connected circuitry-wise to the sensor. The device is designed to perform a capacitive liquid level measurement in normal operation using the sensor, wherein a threshold value can be predefined for the signal processing circuit for normal operation. The device has a classification module which can be connected with an input side or line connection circuitry-wise to the sensor, is designed to make a capacitive measurement of the liquid in the container using the sensor and can be connected circuitry-wise to the signal processing circuit in order to trigger the specification of a threshold value using the sensor for capacitive measurement of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Markus Wiggli, Nicolas Cors
  • Patent number: 11173485
    Abstract: A pipetting system having at least one pipette tip receptacle with a pipette tip arranged therein that extends along a vertical axis and at least one gripper having a mechanical coupling, the gripper is coupled to the at least one pipette tip receptacle with the coupling and at least one grip element. The at least one grip element has at least one substantially vertical portion and at least one substantially horizontal portion and the coupling has a body having a through channel that extends along the vertical axis over the entire length of the coupling and the pipette tip extends along the through channel of the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Basil Nuesch, Nicolas Cors
  • Patent number: 11167424
    Abstract: A transport tool for transporting a laboratory article using a pipette of a pipetting system and having a plug-in sleeve at a top end, an article holder at a bottom end, and a connecting part which connects the plug-in sleeve to the article holder. The plug-in sleeve has a side sleeve wall and a bottom which surround an interior space of the plug-in sleeve having a cylindrical and conically tapering shape. The plug-in sleeve further has an upward-facing opening for receiving an end of a pipette of an automated pipetting system. The connecting part has a top surface which defines the bottom of the plug-in sleeve, is positioned between the interior space of the plug-in sleeve and the article holder. The article holder has a holding plate which is flat and faces downward away from the plug-in sleeve, and further has a flatly acting magnet on the holding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchloh, Thomas Iten, Sara Ferdi, Nico Birkner
  • Patent number: 11161108
    Abstract: A pipetting device having a lube has an opening al one end for suctioning or discharging a sample fluid and can be operatively connected to a pressure generation device at the other end, a first electrode is formed on the pipetting device and forms a measuring capacitor together with a second electrode formed by at least one part of the sample fluid that can be received in the tube and that measuring capacitor is operatively connected to a measuring unit, and the measuring unit is designed to determine a volume of the suctioned or discharged sample fluid according to the capacity of the measuring capacitor, as well as having a first electrical contact that is designed to create an electrical connection with the working fluid, the first electrical contact can be electrically connected to the measuring unit via a low-resistance converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventor: Philipp Ott
  • Patent number: 11149245
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the automated maintenance of cells particularly reprogrammed somatic cells into iPSCs to enable the large-scale culture and passaging of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) that can be adapted to a Freedom EVO®.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Tecan Trading AG
    Inventors: Alice Pebay, Alex Hewitt, Duncan Crombie, Helena Liang, Raymond Wong, Maciej Daniszewski, Marco Zalivani
  • Patent number: 11148138
    Abstract: A digital microfluidics system with electrodes attached to a substrate and covered by a hydrophobic surface, and a control unit for manipulating liquid droplets by electrowetting; providing in close proximity to electrodes a magnetic conduit for directing a magnetic field of a backing magnet to the first hydrophobic surface; providing on the hydrophobic surface a liquid droplet that has magnetically responsive beads; moving by electrowetting the liquid droplet with the magnetically responsive beads until a part of which is placed atop of the magnetic conduit; actuating the backing magnet of the magnetic conduit and attracting/concentrating magnetically responsive beads; and while actuating the backing magnet, moving by electrowetting the liquid droplet with decreased number of magnetically responsive beads away from the specific magnetic conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Thomas Perroud, Dan Tran, Daniel Hoffmeyer, Tiffany Lay, Manjeet Dhindsa
  • Patent number: 11131632
    Abstract: A measuring device for the measurement of light signals emitted from samples in wells of a microplate, in particular to a luminescence measuring device for measuring luminescence signals. The luminescence measuring device has a first injector with an injector needle having an outlet end for dispensing a reagent into a well, and a luminescence optical device having an optical axis extending substantially perpendicularly to the microplate and a measuring region surrounding the optical axis. The injector needle extends to below the luminescence optical device and opens with its outlet end into the measuring region. The luminescence measuring device has further a spray deflector arranged between the outlet end of the injector and the luminescence optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Manfred Lansing, Johannes Posch, Tobias Sawetzki
  • Publication number: 20210293738
    Abstract: Devices and corresponding methods for capacitive foam detection in liquid containers are disclosed. The device has a sensor with a measurement electrode having a plurality of sub-electrodes, a bottom plate that is used as a counter electrode for arranging a liquid container, a sensor electronic unit that is connected to the measurement electrode and the bottom plate and is adapted to determine an impedance, in particular a capacitance, between the measurement electrode and the bottom plate, and an evaluation unit, the measurement electrode being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the bottom plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventor: Philipp OTT
  • Patent number: 11125600
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (100) having multiple capacitively working channels, wherein the device (100) comprises a advancable sensor (3.1, 3.2) and a fluid container per channel. The device (100) also comprises a generator (G) for providing a periodic input signal (s,in(t)). In addition, the device (100) comprises one compensation circuit (CT.1, CT.2) per channel, which can be supplied with the periodic input signal (Sin(t)) and which is designed to provide an input signal (Sin1(t), Sin2(t)) at a first output (A.1, A.2) for applying to the sensor (3.1, 3.2) of the channel, wherein the compensation circuit (CT.1, CT.2) comprises a further output (6.1, 6.2) which is designed to provide a signal (s1(t), s2(t)) that can be evaluated to detect a phase boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Werner Hinn, Lars Kamm, David Kress
  • Publication number: 20210260541
    Abstract: A mixing apparatus containing a drive unit having a drive and a shaft that is pivotable about a pivot axis and is operatively connected to the drive. A pivotable receptacle is arranged on the shaft, where the pivot axis is oriented essentially horizontally, and the pivotable receptacle has a base plate and at least one retainer spaced therefrom, and the pivotable receptacle is configured in such a way that holders for containers can be inserted between the base plate and the at least one retainer in the direction of the pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Dominic ERB, Philipp RIEDEL, Christian STREBEL, Gero FEHR, Klaus LUN, Christoph KARTHAUS
  • Publication number: 20210237084
    Abstract: A sample rack that has at least one axially extended receptacle for a sample tube (30). The sample rack has a code arrangement on its outside. This code arrangement contains information regarding the position of the at least one receptacle as well as information regarding the total number of receptacles and/or the dimension of the sample rack. A sample carrier system (1) is further provided that has a sample carrier with at least one sample rack receptacle and a set of sample racks. The sample rack receptacle and the sample racks have interacting mechanisms which characterize their affiliation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Markus WOLF, Fred SCHINZEL
  • Publication number: 20210220815
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pipetting device having tube with an opening at one end for suctioning or discharging a sample fluid, and can be operatively connected to a pressure generation device at the other end. A first electrode is formed on the pipetting device that forms a measuring capacitor together with a second electrode formed by at least one part of the sample fluid and that can be received in the tube and the measuring capacitor is operatively connected to a measuring unit, and the measuring unit is designed to determine a volume of the suctioned or discharged sample fluid according to the capacity of the measuring capacitor. The invention also relates to a fluid processing system having a pipetting device of this type, as well as a method for determining a processed fluid volume during pipetting with a pipetting device of this type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventor: Philipp OTT
  • Publication number: 20210187493
    Abstract: Pipetting device for pipetting a liquid driven by a gaseous working medium, the pipetting device having at least one pipette connector adapted to attach a pipette at a connection opening at least one pressurizing and/or suctioning pressure source, a gas flow connection between said connection opening and at least one pressure source, a flow restriction defining at least a section of said gas flow connection, a first sensor configured to measure a quantity indicative of the temperature of the flow restriction. The invention is further directed to a gas flow connection element for a pipetting device and to a method of pipetting a liquid volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Michael KELLER, Thomas Geiges
  • Publication number: 20210187500
    Abstract: An incubation cassette for reducing liquid evaporation from wells of a microplate that has a frame for receiving a microplate having wells. The frame has a central first opening that is surrounded by an inner wall and the dimensions are designed for the placement of the microplate therein, and an outer wall extends substantially parallel to the inner wall and adjoins the inner wall via an intermediate bottom such that a liquid reservoir for holding a liquid is formed by the two walls and the intermediate bottom, the liquid reservoir surrounding the first central opening. At least a portion of the incubation cassette that forms the liquid reservoir is provided at least in part with at least one transparent portion (TA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Manfred LANSING, Tobias SAWETZKI, Nicole EGGENHOFER
  • Publication number: 20210178400
    Abstract: A combinable cavity tray for liquid handling is provided. The combinable cavity tray has at least one cavity for receiving a fluid and at least one passage for leading through a cavity of a second combinable cavity tray and/or for connecting to a pipetting apparatus. The at least one cavity of the combinable cavity tray is formed integrally. An assembly of combinable cavity trays having at least two combinable cavity trays, a method of manufacturing a combinable cavity tray and the use of a combinable cavity tray or of an assembly of combinable cavity trays for liquid handling are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Adrian Sager, Philipp Ott
  • Publication number: 20210181223
    Abstract: A device for determining a position and/or an extension of a drop in a position determination space, where the device has a camera having an objective and a beam splitter in the recording area of the camera, and the device is designed in such a way that light coming from the position determination space can enter the objective of the camera along a first light path as well as along a second light path, where light along the first light path can be reflected at a first reflector element in the direction of the beam splitter and can be transmitted through the beam splitter towards the objective, and where light along the second light path can be reflected at a second reflector element in the direction of the beam splitter and can be reflected at the beam splitter towards the objective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Gerald ZERZA, Josef GRASSL, Alwin SCHULLER
  • Patent number: 11035871
    Abstract: A tube guidance means (36) for a laboratory automation system (10) comprises a plate (40) with a guide opening (38); wherein the guide opening (38) has two partial openings (42) which are separated by a land (46) and which are connected by a slot (44); and wherein the partial openings (42) have cutouts (54) for guiding a tube (32), the cutouts (54) being located opposite each other on edges (52) which face away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventor: Martin Kuster
  • Publication number: 20210164824
    Abstract: A device for controlling an optical recognition unit with the help of a capacitive filling level measurement in liquid containers having a sensor with a measuring electrode, a conductive base plate suitable for arranging at least one liquid container or a carrier unit having at least one receptacle for receiving a liquid container, a sensor electronics unit that is connected to the measuring electrode and the base plate adapted to determine a capacitance between the measuring electrode and base plate, an evaluation unit, and a control unit for controlling the optical recognition unit, is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Philipp OTT, Luca FREI, Pascal DIETERICH
  • Patent number: 11022205
    Abstract: A transmission module for transmitting torques having a base, a first drive shaft, a second drive shaft parallel thereto, a first output shaft and a second output shaft, both rotatable about a common axis, the axes of the drive shafts are arranged parallel to the axis of the output shafts, a gear unit, where the two drive shafts, the gear unit and the first output shaft are rotatably supported in the base, and the second output shaft is rotatably supported in the first output shaft and the gear unit is designed in such a way that a synchronous rotary movement of the two output shafts can be effected by a rotary movement of the first drive shaft and a relative rotary movement of the two output shafts can be effected by a rotary movement of the second drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Joas Leemann, Christoph Latzer
  • Patent number: D921223
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventor: Christophe Apotheloz