Patents by Inventor Nicolas Cors

Nicolas Cors 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: 11207693
    Abstract: A gripper having a mechanical coupling that can be connected to a pipetting tube, at least one fluid channel extends from the coupling and a negative pressure can be transmitted, the gripper having at least one suction cup that is connected to the coupling through the at least one fluid channel as a result of which the negative pressure can be transmitted from the coupling to the at least one suction cup, and the at least one suction cup in the intended use position of the gripper is aligned such that a rim of a suction cup of the at least one suction cup is aligned in a substantially vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Nicolas Cors, Martin Kuster
  • 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: 10946372
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of a robotic arm in an automatic liquid handling system in which a measurement probe with a first electrode is arranged on the robotic arm and, together with a second electrode formed by at least part of a working area or at least part of a container or container carrier forms a measurement capacitor that is operatively connected to a measurement unit for measuring an impedance, in particular a capacitance of the measurement capacitor. The method involves moving the measurement probe along a first path, detecting a first change in the impedance, in particular in the capacitance of the measurement capacitor at a first point on the first path, and defining at least one first reference spatial coordinate for a control unit of the robotic arm on the basis of the first point on the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Philipp Ott, Markus Schoni, Thomas Struchen, Raffael Bueler, Nicolas Cors, Theo Meier, Daniel Kessler
  • Publication number: 20200348323
    Abstract: A gripper having a mechanical coupling that can be connected to a pipetting tube, at least one fluid channel extends from the coupling and a negative pressure can be transmitted, the gripper having at least one suction cup that is connected to the coupling through the at least one fluid channel as a result of which the negative pressure can be transmitted from the coupling to the at least one suction cup, and the at least one suction cup in the intended use position of the gripper is aligned such that a rim of a suction cup of the at least one suction cup is aligned in a substantially vertical plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Nicolas CORS, Martin KUSTER
  • Publication number: 20190308186
    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: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: BASIL NUESCH, Nicolas Cors
  • Publication number: 20190128905
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of a robotic arm in an automatic liquid handling system in which a measurement probe with a first electrode is arranged on the robotic arm and, together with a second electrode formed by at least part of a working area or at least part of a container or container carrier forms a measurement capacitor that is operatively connected to a measurement unit for measuring an impedance, in particular a capacitance of the measurement capacitor. The method involves moving the measurement probe along a first path, detecting a first change in the impedance, in particular in the capacitance of the measurement capacitor at a first point on the first path, and defining at least one first reference spatial coordinate for a control unit of the robotic arm on the basis of the first point on the first path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Philipp OTT, Markus SCHÖNI, Thomas STRUCHEN, Raffael BUELER, Nicolas CORS, Theo MEIER, Daniel KESSLER
  • Publication number: 20190049283
    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: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Markus WIGGLI, Nicolas CORS
  • Patent number: 10161780
    Abstract: A device (100) which comprises a deliverable sensor (202), a container (101) for receiving a liquid (1), a container environment (103) and a signal processing circuit (2), the input side (11) of which can be connected circuitry-wise to the sensor (102). The device (100) is designed to perform a capacitive liquid level measurement in normal operation using the sensor (102), wherein a threshold value can be predefined for the signal processing circuit (2) for normal operation, the device (100) comprises a classification module (104), i. which can be connected with an input side or line connection (105) circuitry-wise to the sensor (102), ii. which is designed to make a capacitive measurement of the liquid (1) in the container (101) using the sensor (102), and iii. which can be connected circuitry-wise (106) to the signal processing circuit (2) in order to trigger the specification of a threshold value using the sensor (102) for capacitive measurement of the liquid (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Tecan Trading AG
    Inventors: Markus Wiggli, Nicolas Cors
  • Patent number: 9335200
    Abstract: A device for detecting a phase boundary in a liquid tank a sensor that can be advanced in the direction of the phase boundary in the liquid tank. A circuit processes an output signal of the sensor to detect a change in capacitance and has a first channel with a first filter module to filter out a first signal having a short pulse width from the output signal and a second channel having a second filter module to filter out a second signal having a greater pulse width from the output signal. A controller module with comparator module determines whether the first signal reaches a first threshold value and a processing module determines whether the second signal meets predefined second signal criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Nicolas Cors, Markus Schoni, Markus Wiggli, Adi Zuppiger
  • Publication number: 20150292933
    Abstract: A device (100) which comprises a deliverable sensor (202), a container (101) for receiving a liquid (1), a container environment (103) and a signal processing circuit (2), the input side (11) of which can be connected circuitry-wise to the sensor (102). The device (100) is designed to perform a capacitive liquid level measurement in normal operation using the sensor (102), wherein a threshold value can be predefined for the signal processing circuit (2) for normal operation, the device (100) comprises a classification module (104), i. which can be connected with an input side or line connection (105) circuitry-wise to the sensor (102), ii. which is designed to make a capacitive measurement of the liquid (1) in the container (101) using the sensor (102), and iii. which can be connected circuitry-wise (106) to the signal processing circuit (2) in order to trigger the specification of a threshold value using the sensor (102) for capacitive measurement of the liquid (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Markus WIGGLI, Nicolas CORS
  • Patent number: 9074919
    Abstract: A device has at least one channel for detecting the phase boundary between media in a liquid container and has a probe which can be fed in the direction of the phase boundary and a circuit which processes a signal of the probe to detect a capacitance change. The device includes a testing module which executes an infeed movement of the probe. The testing module performs an analysis of the signal of the channel, and makes a connection statement about the electrical connection between the probe and the measuring circuit. The testing of the electrical connections is performed in a dry manner, i.e., a phase boundary does not have to be searched for or penetrated for the testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Tecan Trading AG
    Inventors: Sarah Marki, Nicolas Cors, Thomas Struchen
  • Publication number: 20120304732
    Abstract: A device has at least one channel for detecting the phase boundary between media in a liquid container and has a probe which can be fed in the direction of the phase boundary and a circuit which processes a signal of the probe to detect a capacitance change. The device includes a testing module which executes an infeed movement of the probe. The testing module performs an analysis of the signal of the channel, and makes a connection statement about the electrical connection between the probe and the measuring circuit. The testing of the electrical connections is performed in a dry manner, i.e., a phase boundary does not have to be searched for or penetrated for the testing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Sarah MARKI, Nicolas Cors, Thomas Struchen
  • Publication number: 20120242354
    Abstract: A device for detecting a phase boundary in a liquid tank a sensor that can be advanced in the direction of the phase boundary in the liquid tank. A circuit processes an output signal of the sensor to detect a change in capacitance and has a first channel with a first filter module to filter out a first signal having a short pulse width from the output signal and a second channel having a second filter module to filter out a second signal having a greater pulse width from the output signal. A controller module with comparator module determines whether the first signal reaches a first threshold value and a processing module determines whether the second signal meets predefined second signal criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Nicolas Cors, Markus Schoni, Markus Wiggli, Adi Zuppiger