Patents by Inventor Dirk Heerklotz

Dirk Heerklotz 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).

  • Patent number: 8287806
    Abstract: A pipetting apparatus has a fluidic space to which a pressure transducer with a pressure sensor is attached with a gas filled space. The fluidic space is defined by a pipette tip, a first tubing that connects the pipette tip to a pump, and an active part of the pump. The pipetting apparatus further has an impulse generating mechanism that is in operative contact with a column of system liquid inside the fluidic space. The impulse generating mechanism induces a vertical movement in the system liquid column, which results in a pressure variation in the gas filled space that is pneumatically connected with the fluidic space. This pressure variation, as recorded with the pressure transducer and as processed by a first data processing unit during utilization of this pipetting apparatus, is taken as an indicator for the detection of penetration or of quitting of a surface of a liquid, with an orifice of the pipette tip, of which liquid an amount is to be aspirated and dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Tecan Trading AG
    Inventors: Torleif Ove Bjornson, Robert Liebhard, Adi Zuppiger, Dirk Heerklotz
  • Publication number: 20090117010
    Abstract: A pipetting apparatus has a fluidic space to which a pressure transducer with a pressure sensor is attached with a gas filled space. The fluidic space is defined by a pipette tip, a first tubing that connects the pipette tip to a pump, and an active part of the pump. The pipetting apparatus further has an impulse generating mechanism that is in operative contact with a column of system liquid inside the fluidic space. The impulse generating mechanism induces a vertical movement in the system liquid column, which results in a pressure variation in the gas filled space that is pneumatically connected with the fluidic space. This pressure variation, as recorded with the pressure transducer and as processed by a first data processing unit during utilization of this pipetting apparatus, is taken as an indicator for the detection of penetration or of quitting of a surface of a liquid, with an orifice of the pipette tip, of which liquid an amount is to be aspirated and dispensed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Torleif Ove Bjorson, Robert Liebhard, Adi Zuppiger, Dirk Heerklotz
  • Patent number: 7479391
    Abstract: A pipetting apparatus (1) comprises a fluidic space (7), to which a pressure transducer (11) with a pressure sensor (12) is attached with a gas filled space (15). The fluidic space (7) is defined by a pipette tip (2), a first tubing (5) that connects the pipette tip (2) to a pump (4), and an active part (6) of the pump (4). The pipetting apparatus (1) according to the present invention is characterized in that the pipetting apparatus (1) further comprises an impulse generating means (16, 18, 19) that is in operative contact with a column (10) of system liquid (8) inside the fluidic space (7). The impulse generating means (16, 18, 19) is designed to induce a vertical movement in this system liquid column (10), which results in a pressure variation in the gas filled space (15) that is pneumatically connected with the fluidic space (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Tecan Trading AG
    Inventors: Torleif Ove Bjornson, Robert Liebhard, Adi Zuppiger, Dirk Heerklotz
  • Publication number: 20060127281
    Abstract: A pipetting apparatus (1) comprises a fluidic space (7), to which a pressure transducer (11) with a pressure sensor (12) is attached with a gas filled space (15). The fluidic space (7) is defined by a pipette tip (2), a first tubing (5) that connects the pipette tip (2) to a pump (4), and an active part (6) of the pump (4). The pipetting apparatus (1) according to the present invention is characterized in that the pipetting apparatus (1) further comprises an impulse generating means (16,18,19) that is in operative contact with a column (10) of system liquid (8) inside the fluidic space (7). The impulse generating means (16,18,19) is designed to induce a vertical movement in this system liquid column (10), which results in a pressure variation in the gas filled space (15) that is pneumatically connected with the fluidic space (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Torleif Bjornson, Robert Liebhard, Adi Zuppiger, Dirk Heerklotz