Abstract: Device for storing and dispensing cuvettes from a stack. The device has at least one cuvette stack receiving compartment, which may be a tube open at both ends, wherein one of the openings is provided with retaining springs, partly blocking the opening, so that the cuvette stack having been dropped into the compartment may come to rest on the retaining springs. The retaining springs are being spaced apart from the opening of the compartment by a distance that allows at least two cuvettes in the stack to stick out of the compartment opening. Furthermore, a cuvette separator with retaining spring spreaders is provided, moveable between a standby position away from the compartment and a cuvette separation position across the retaining spring opening of the compartment, and in between the two cuvettes, sticking out of the compartment.

Abstract: A laboratory module for storing and providing access to a plurality of samples, the laboratory module comprising a plurality of bays comprising a plurality of guiding rails and a plurality of rack tray bays for accommodating a plurality of rack trays, and a transport chamber for transporting at least one sample rack to a storage location and for delivering at least one sample rack at predetermined times to a processing system. The transport chamber is adapted to align with any one of the plurality of guiding rails, comprised in the bays and in the rack trays, for placing and moving on the guiding rails the at least one sample rack, and a sensor for sensing the presence and location of a sample rack on any one of the guiding rails, and a barcode scanner that identifies the sample rack and a storage device for storing data.

Abstract: A laboratory module for storing and delivering to further processing of a plurality of samples. The laboratory module has at least one sample rack holding the plurality of samples, a plurality of bays comprised of a plurality of guiding rails, a transport chamber for transporting the plurality of samples to a storage location and for delivering the plurality of samples at predetermined times to a processing system, wherein the transport chamber is adapted to accommodate the at least one sample rack and to align with any one of the plurality of guiding rails for placing thereon or for removing therefrom the at least one sample rack.

Abstract: A modular degassing device (40) is disclosed. The modular degassing device (40) comprises outer clamping plates (330, 340) with at least one degassing module (200) arranged therebetween, wherein the degassing module (200) comprises two modular plates (310, 320) adjacently arranged, both modular plates (310, 320) having a first channel on sides facing a membrane (46) placed therebetween, wherein the first channel of one modular plate (310, 320) is a fluid channel (224) on one side of the membrane (46), and the first channel of the other modular plate (310, 320) is a vacuum channel (212) on the other side of the membrane (46).

Abstract: A device and a method are used for measuring the filling level of a fluid for monitoring a dispense/aspirate process in reaction vessels, including at least one cavity for dispensing and aspirating the fluid, where the cavity is provided with a filling level sensor whose signals, transmitted to an evaluation unit, are evaluated to determine the filling level, the at least one cavity is assigned a receiving body which is closed at the bottom and is separated from the cavity for receiving the fluid, the filling level sensor is at least one thermistor extending along the outside of a wall of the receiving body without coming in contact with the fluid, the evaluation unit evaluates the temperature influence of the thermistor in dispensing, aspirating and in retention of the fluid in the receiving body to detect the filling level, in this way the process monitoring in washing the reaction vessels is improved.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for igniting a fuel/air mixture in a combustion chamber of a cyclically operating internal combustion engine using an ignition electrode constitutes a capacitance in cooperation with a wall of the combustion chamber that is at ground potential, wherein an electric oscillating circuit, which is connected to a secondary side of an electric DC/AC converter and the ignition electrode, is excited by way of a primary voltage applied to a primary side of the electric DC/AC converter, wherein the excitation of the oscillating circuit is controlled such that a corona discharge igniting the fuel/air mixture is created in the combustion chamber at the ignition electrode. According to the invention, the primary voltage is controlled to a specified setpoint value which is changed during the combustion duration of the corona discharge and is dependent upon the crankshaft angle and on at least one characteristic value of the fuel/air mixture.

Abstract: A device and a method for dosing an uptake or a release of a liquid. The device comprises a pump pumping a fluid, a pump drive driving the pump, and a fluid channel connected to the pump. A tip is connected to the fluid channel comprising an opening for the uptake or the release of the liquid. At least one flow sensor measures a flow rate of the fluid in the fluid channel. A controller monitors and adjusts the flow rate and/or pressure in the fluid channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the combustion chamber of a cyclically operating combustion engine in which an air-fuel-mixture is ignited by means of a corona discharge generated by an electrical oscillating circuit in which an ignition electrode, which is electrically isolated from the combustion chamber walls, and the combustion chamber walls form a capacitor, wherein by evaluating an electrical parameter of the oscillating circuit information about the combustion chamber is gained. The voltage exciting the oscillating circuit is reduced after the beginning of the combustion and the oscillating circuit is then excited with a reduced voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting the start of combustion in a cyclically operating internal combustion engine in which a fuel/air mixture is ignited by means of a corona discharge, wherein, to generate the corona discharge, an electrical resonant circuit is excited, in which an ignition electrode that is electrically insulated with respect to combustion chamber walls constitutes a capacitor together with the combustion chamber walls, and, to identify the start of combustion, an electrical variable of the resonant circuit is evaluated. The position of an extremum is evaluated, said extremum occurring in the course of the electrical variable after ignition of the corona discharge and before extinguishment thereof, or the course of the electrical variable is compared with a reference course, wherein a threshold value is predefined and fuel combustion is concluded on the basis of a deviation by more than the threshold value.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for filling at least one liquid into at least one cavity. The method comprises filling a predetermined filling volume of the at least one liquid into the at least one cavity and determining if the liquid in the at least one cavity reaches a first liquid level in the at least one cavity. Filling the predetermined filling volume of the at least one liquid and the determining if the first level has not been reached, is repeated until enough volume of the at least one liquid has been added to the cavity or if the first level has been reached. The predetermined filling volume is equal to or smaller than a buffer volume above the first liquid level in the at least one cavity.

Abstract: An indicator for enabling an analytical instrument to positively detect the presence of a vial in respective vial-receiving rack position regardless of whether the vial is oriented in a manner necessary for a code reader to read a code printed on the vial. Translation of a leaf spring upon insertion of a vial into a rack position causes a flag to obscure a code provided adjacent the rack position. An instrument into which the rack is installed interprets the failure of the code reader to detect this code as positive indication that a vial is disposed within the respective rack position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a HF ignition system, wherein electrical energy for generating a corona discharge is fed with a voltage pulse into the HF ignition system and a series of measured values of an electrical variable is measured during the voltage pulse, and the measured values are evaluated in order to detect malfunctions. It is provided according to the invention that the measured values are evaluated by determining a characteristic variable for the fluctuation range of the same and comparing the determined characteristic variable with a threshold, or in that by means of a transformation of said series, the frequency spectrum of said series is calculated, and it is checked for at least one frequency range if a threshold is exceeded.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for igniting a fuel/air mixture in a combustion chamber of a cyclically operating internal combustion engine using an ignition electrode constitutes a capacitance in cooperation with a wall of the combustion chamber that is at ground potential, wherein an electric oscillating circuit, which is connected to a secondary side of an electric DC/AC converter and the ignition electrode, is excited by way of a primary voltage applied to a primary side of the electric DC/AC converter, wherein the excitation of the oscillating circuit is controlled such that a corona discharge igniting the fuel/air mixture is created in the combustion chamber at the ignition electrode. According to the invention, the primary voltage is controlled to a specified setpoint value which is changed during the combustion duration of the corona discharge and is dependent upon the crankshaft angle and on at least one characteristic value of the fuel/air mixture.