Abstract: An improved, injection or blood removal device for intravenous access has a port with a septum at the exterior end of an intravenous catheter, a coupling element having an adhesive surface for securing attachment onto the skin, an injection or blood sampling unit, a connecting cannula piercing the septum of the port, and means to secure functional assembly. Attachment of the device to the skin covering or close to the intravenous puncture site and without long communicating tubes allows ambulant injection of drugs or measuring of concentration-time profiles of exogenous and endogenous analytes to improve treatment modalities on an individualized basis.

Abstract: An improved diagnostic analyte monitoring device has partially retractable hollow guide needles for the intradermal placement of diagnostic elements fixedly connected to measuring means within this device obviating the need to remove the guide needle and to connect the diagnostic elements to measuring means after placement into the skin. A flexible surface adhering to the skin serves for the subcutaneous implantation of the diagnostic elements within the guide needles and partial retraction of the guide needles exposes the active surface to body fluid, actuated by means designed for easy handling and safe operation. Concentration-time profiles of endogenous and exogenous analytes measured with the device are used to improve drug treatment modalities on an individualized basis.

Abstract: In a syringe type pump with a barrel (2) and a piston (4) movable in the interior of the barrel the barrel has the shape of a segment of a toroidal tube (2) and the piston is moved by means of a driving rod (6) which is guided and supported by the inner surface of the barrel wall. By the toroidal shape the overall size of the pump is significantly reduced and by guiding and supporting the driving rod of the piston by the inner surface of the barrel wall intrinsic problems of tightness, stick-slip phenomena and blockage are solved. A device for injecting fluid into a patient's body or removing body fluid therefrom is using a syringe type pump with a toroidal barrel and a driving rod of the piston guided and supported by the inner surface of the barrel wall.

Abstract: A subcutaneous access device has a skin attachment plate coated with an adhesive layer. The skin attachment plate is moveably linked by a retraction mechanism to a needle support with fixedly positioned needles. In the ready-to-use position the skin attachment plate is spaced away from the needle support and covers the fixedly positioned needles. Subcutaneous insertion of the needles is effected by attachment of the skin attachment plate with the adhesive layer to the skin and releasing the retraction mechanism, thus triggering the pulling of the attached skin with high velocity against the tip of the needles.

Abstract: A skin insertion mechanism of a needle fixedly positioned in a needle holder with connective means to an injection or analysis system has a skin attachment plate coated with an adhesive layer and a spacer mechanism keeping in the ready-to-use position the skin attachment plate spaced away from the needle support covering the needle. Subcutaneous insertion of the needle is effected by attachment with the adhesive layer to the skin and releasing the spacer mechanism by applying a pre-set trigger point pressure against the skin.

Abstract: An improved, injection or blood removal device for intravenous access has a port with a septum at the exterior end of an intravenous catheter, a coupling element having an adhesive surface for securing attachment onto the skin, an injection or blood sampling unit, a connecting cannula piercing the septum of the port, and means to secure functional assembly. Attachment of the device to the skin covering or close to the intravenous puncture site and without long communicating tubes allows ambulant injection of drugs or measuring of concentration-time profiles of exogenous and endogenous analytes to improve treatment modalities on an individualized basis.

Abstract: In a syringe type pump with a barrel (2) and a piston (4) movable in the interior of the barrel the barrel has the shape of a segment of a toroidal tube (2) and the piston is moved by means of a driving rod (6) which is guided and supported by the inner surface of the barrel wall. By the toroidal shape the overall size of the pump is significantly reduced and by guiding and supporting the driving rod of the piston by the inner surface of the barrel wall intrinsic problems of tightness, stick-slip phenomena and blockage are solved. A device for injecting fluid into a patient's body or removing body fluid therefrom is using a syringe type pump with a toroidal barrel and a driving rod of the piston guided and supported by the inner surface of the barrel wall.

Abstract: An improved diagnostic analyte monitoring device has partially retractable hollow guide needles for the intradermal placement of diagnostic elements fixedly connected to measuring means within this device obviating the need to remove the guide needle and to connect the diagnostic elements to measuring means after placement into the skin. A flexible surface adhering to the skin serves for the subcutaneous implantation of the diagnostic elements within the guide needles and partial retraction of the guide needles exposes the active surface to body fluid, actuated by means designed for easy handling and safe operation. Concentration-time profiles of endogenous and exogenous analytes measured with the device are used to improve drug treatment modalities on an individualized basis.

Abstract: A transport system for transporting and handling microtiter plates, for use in high throughput screening, diagnosis and/or combinatorial chemistry, comprising modules with devices for preparing specimens and/or introducing specimens, and/or for optical readout and/or for plate storage and/or devices for further processing steps or readout steps. The system includes an inter-modular transport system for transporting the microtiter plates between the different devices and at least one central transport system for asynchronous plate transfer between individual modules via input and output buffers.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer for investigating a liquid sample in a sample tube, in particular a glass sample tube (12), has a sample bushing (1) surrounding the sample tube having a bore into which one end of the sample tube is inserted with tight fit. The sample bushing (1) is preferably substantially cylindrical and the bore extends along the cylindrical axis. The NMR spectrometer has a gripping device (13) for handling the sample bushing (1), the gripping device (13) having at least three gripping fingers (14a-14d), and the outer periphery of the sample bushing (1) has at least one groove (2) into which the gripping fingers (14a-14d) can engage to press onto the two outer edges of the groove (2) when the gripping device (13) is closed. The cooperation between the groove and the gripping device permits fully automated, precise handling of the samples.

Abstract: An integrally built, linear array of cuvettes is made of a plastic material. Every cuvette of the array has the same shape and dimensions. Neighboring cuvettes are connected to each other by a single web. Each of the single webs has a curved shape and each cuvette has means forming integral part thereof and serving for accurately positioning the cuvette into an opening of a cuvette holder and means for removably connecting the cuvette to the cuvette holder. Each cuvette has an upper chamber and a lower chamber having a common symmetry axis passing through the centers of both chambers. Each of the upper and lower chambers has a substantially cylindrical shape. The cross-section of the upper chamber at the central part thereof is larger than the cross-section of the lower chamber. The lower chamber has an open lower end. The upper chamber has an open top end and an annular bottom wall having a central circular opening which connects the upper chamber with the lower chamber.

Abstract: A compound handling system handles a multiplicity of chemical or biological compounds or samples, and is especially adapted for high throughput screening of compounds that are stored and handled in aliquotted form. Aliquots are contained in individual containers and the containers are arranged in racks having holding spaces open at opposite ends. Insertion and removal of the containers is effected in either direction of movement, and each container may be sealed with foil to protect its integrity.

Abstract: A washing system comprises a support for holding several cartridges. Each cartridge has a chamber with an inlet and an outlet. Wash blocks are movably coupled to the support, each having two needles for penetrating the inlet and the outlet of a respective cartridge when the wash blocks are moved towards the support. Tubing is coupled to the needles for flowing liquid through the chamber of the cartridge.

Abstract: A device for transporting an elongated sample tube (8) into the measuring chamber (22) of an NMR magnet system comprising a spinner which has an axial through-bore through which the sample tube can be inserted, transported together with the spinner on an air cushion into the measuring chamber, and positioned therein relative to the vertical axis of the NMR receiver coil system (9) is characterized by a mounting sleeve (17) which is disposed in a collar-like manner radially around the sample tube such that it cannot slip and which, in the operating position of the sample tube, flatly abuts with one end face thereof on a horizontal stop surface (18) in the bottom region inside a two-stage axial bore (20) of the spinner (7b), wherein the inner diameter of the bore (20), in a first stage in the upper region, is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting sleeve, and the inner diameter of a second stage, in the bottom region of the spinner, is smaller than the outer diameter of the mounting sleeve but larger th

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical device adhering to the skin comprising a housing with a rigid base fixable on a patient's skin by means of an adhesive layer which has an adhesive surface, essentially co-extensive with the base, contacting the skin and which is fixed to the base by a reduced surface in comparison to the adhesive surface contacting the skin.

Abstract: A device for carrying out a multiplicity of chemical, biochemical or physical processes in parallel has a plurality of switching blocks (1), to which a multiplicity of reaction vessels (5) are removably fastened. Liquids, gases and/or solids can be supplied to and/or extracted from the reaction vessels (5) through the switching blocks (1). Each switching block (1) comprises a gas duct plate (11) and a functional plate (12) which is arranged so that it can be displaced on it. The gas duct plate (11) has a multiplicity of through-holes, a gas duct and a multiplicity of gas duct holes extending from the gas duct to the functional plate (12) and the functional plate (12) has a multiplicity of through-holes and depressions open to the gas duct plate (11). Depending on the position of the plates, through-holes, depressions or sealing surfaces of the functional plate (12) are located opposite to through-holes and gas duct holes of the gas duct plate (11).

Abstract: An apparatus for providing temperature control and agitation to a plurality of reaction vessels comprises a plurality of elastic receptacles on a block, each receptacle supporting a reaction vessel below its neck, and, a plurality of elastic couplings, each coupling retaining a reaction vessel at its neck section. A flow channel is provided within the block to transfer a liquid temperature control medium to the reaction vessels. The flow channel is routed to each receptacle individually, thereby supplying the medium directly to the corresponding reaction vessel. A shaking arrangement is provided to agitate the reaction vessels by moving the receptacles horizontally relative to the couplings. The greatest deflection of each reaction vessel occurs at its base, while the neck sections are subjected to slight movement.

Abstract: A device for transporting an elongated sample tube (8) into the measuring chamber (22) of an NMR magnet system comprising a spinner which has an axial through-bore through which the sample tube can be inserted, transported together with the spinner on an air cushion into the measuring chamber, and positioned therein relative to the vertical axis of the NMR receiver coil system (9) is characterized by a mounting sleeve (17) which is disposed in a collar-like manner radially around the sample tube such that it cannot slip and which, in the operating position of the sample tube, flatly abuts with one end face thereof on a horizontal stop surface (18) in the bottom region inside a two-stage axial bore (20) of the spinner (7b), wherein the inner diameter of the bore (20), in a first stage in the upper region, is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting sleeve, and the inner diameter of a second stage, in the bottom region of the spinner, is smaller than the outer diameter of the mounting sleeve but larger th

Abstract: A washing system comprises a support for holding several cartridges. Each cartridge has a chamber with an inlet and an outlet. Wash blocks are movably coupled to the support, each having two needles for penetrating the inlet and the outlet of a respective cartridge when the wash blocks are moved towards the support. Tubing is coupled to the needles for flowing liquid through the chamber of the cartridge.

Abstract: A microdispensing system is useful for the open-jet dispensing of liquids. A valve having a valve chamber is bounded by an impermeable elastic membrane and is filled with the liquid for dispensing. One or more liquid supply lines lead to the valve chamber. An outlet closed from the exterior by the membrane in the position of rest leads from the chamber to a dispensing nozzle. An actuator chamber is disposed on the other side of the membrane. In the actuator chamber, an electromechanical drive is connected to the membrane for the purpose of briefly lifting the membrane from the outlet. The actuator chamber is closed in such manner that it can be subjected to a pressure differing from atmospheric pressure.