Abstract: A cartridge assembly comprises a housing having an illumination chamber and a well plate. The well plate is maintained within the housing and has liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids. The well plate includes a fluidics analysis station aligned with the illumination chamber, and an interface window and interface ports located at the fluidics analysis station. The well plate includes a valve station and pump station. A piercer unit is provided in the housing and positioned proximate to the wells. The piercer unit includes a piercer element and is to be moved to a piercing position where the piercer element pierces a cover for the corresponding well. A pump assembly on the well plate at the pump station manages fluid flow through the channels between the pump station and the fluidics analysis station. The housing includes a flow cell chamber to receive a removable flow cell cartridge.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly comprises a housing having an illumination chamber and a well plate. The well plate is maintained within the housing and has liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids. The well plate includes a fluidics analysis station aligned with the illumination chamber, and an interface window and interface ports located at the fluidics analysis station. The well plate includes a valve station and pump station. A piercer unit is provided in the housing and positioned proximate to the wells. The piercer unit includes a piercer element and is to be moved to a piercing position where the piercer element pierces a cover for the corresponding well. A pump assembly on the well plate at the pump station manages fluid flow through the channels between the pump station and the fluidics analysis station. The housing includes a flow cell chamber to receive a removable flow cell cartridge.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, systems and methods for conducting a reaction using electrowetting in a vertical or substantially vertical position. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide fluidic cartridges for use in a substantially vertical position comprising: (a) a front substrate; (b) a back substrate; (c) a droplet operations gap formed between the front substrate and the back substrate; and (d) a plurality of electrodes on the front substrate or the back substrate, wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to transport a droplet along a substantially vertical plane defined by the front substrate and the back substrate.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly comprises a housing having an illumination chamber and a well plate. The well plate is maintained within the housing and has liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids. The well plate includes a fluidics analysis station aligned with the illumination chamber, and an interface window and interface ports located at the fluidics analysis station. The well plate includes a valve station and pump station. A piercer unit is provided in the housing and positioned proximate to the wells. The piercer unit includes a piercer element and is to be moved to a piercing position where the piercer element pierces a cover for the corresponding well. A pump assembly on the well plate at the pump station manages fluid flow through the channels between the pump station and the fluidics analysis station. The housing includes a flow cell chamber to receive a removable flow cell cartridge.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly that comprises a housing, including a flow cell chamber to receive a flow cell, and a well plate having liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids. The well plate includes a valve station, a pump station and a fluidics analysis station, and channels associated therewith. A pump assembly to manage fluid flow through the channels between the pump station and the fluidics analysis station. A rotary valve assembly that includes a rotor shaft and rotor valve positioned to rotate about a rotational axis and to selectively couple the wells to the pump station. The rotor shaft includes a dual spline configuration at the distal end thereof. The dual spline configuration has first and second sets of splines. The first set of splines forms a drive interface and the second set of splines forms a position encoding interface.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly that comprises a housing, including a flow cell chamber to receive a flow cell, and a well plate having liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids. The well plate includes a valve station, a pump station and a fluidics analysis station, and channels associated therewith. A pump assembly to manage fluid flow through the channels between the pump station and the fluidics analysis station. A rotary valve assembly that includes a rotor shaft and rotor valve positioned to rotate about a rotational axis and to selectively couple the wells to the pump station. The rotor shaft includes a dual spline configuration at the distal end thereof. The dual spline configuration has first and second sets of splines. The first set of splines forms a drive interface and the second set of splines forms a position encoding interface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, systems and methods for conducting a reaction using electrowetting in a vertical or substantially vertical position. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide fluidic cartridges for use in a substantially vertical position comprising: (a) a front substrate; (b) a back substrate; (c) a droplet operations gap formed between the front substrate and the back substrate; and (d) a plurality of electrodes on the front substrate or the back substrate, wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to transport a droplet along a substantially vertical plane defined by the front substrate and the back substrate.

Abstract: An optical reader for reading encoded microparticles. Each microparticle has an elongated body with an optically detectable code that extends along a longitudinal axis of the corresponding elongated body. The reader includes a plate that has a plurality of channels. The channels are configured to receive and align the microparticles so that the codes of the microparticles are in a common fixed orientation relative to each other. The reader also includes an illumination source for illuminating the microparticles on the plate. The codes in the microparticles reflect a portion of incident light and permit a portion of the incident light to pass through the microparticles thereby providing an output signal indicative of the code. The reader also includes a detection device that is configured to capture the output signal provided by the microparticles.

Abstract: An optical reader for reading encoded microparticles. Each microparticle has an elongated body with an optically detectable code that extends along a longitudinal axis of the corresponding elongated body. The reader includes a plate that has a plurality of channels. The channels are configured to receive and align the microparticles so that the codes of the microparticles are in a common fixed orientation relative to each other. The reader also includes an illumination source for illuminating the microparticles on the plate. The codes in the microparticles reflect a portion of incident light and permit a portion of the incident light to pass through the microparticles thereby providing an output signal indicative of the code. The reader also includes a detection device that is configured to capture the output signal provided by the microparticles.

Abstract: An acoustic signal unit comprises a signal generation unit to generate a first electrical signal, a first transducer to generate an acoustic signal in response to the first electrical signal, and a second transducer to generate a second electrical signal in response to the received acoustic signal. A calculation unit is provided to compare the first and second electrical signals to determine the time of flight of the acoustic signal, wherein the time of flight corresponds to the stress in the rolling element bearing. The stress may be calculated according to a formula or by multiplying an acoustic time constant for the rolling element bearing by the distance traveled by the acoustic signal across the rolling element bearing, and by the time of flight determined by said comparison unit.

Abstract: A system senses real-time rolling element loads in a rolling element bearing having a plurality of rolling elements disposed between an inner race and an outer race. A plurality of sensors are disposed about one of the inner race and the outer race of the bearing to output sensor data corresponding to detected loads. A control unit predicts bearing life from the sensor data and determines a load zone of the bearing in real time from the sensor data. Before operation of the system in real-time, the sensors are calibrated to model a relationship of roller load and measured strain. The bearing is then rotated and sensor data is output from each the sensors. The sensor data is cyclical, and peaks and valleys are extracted from the sensor data to determine rolling element loads and measured bearing speed. Load components from a plurality of bearings are then summed to obtain total applied system load in real time.

Abstract: A bearing is mounted within a housing having an acoustic-electric transducer mounted on its outside. A stationary annular outer race has at least one sensor, an electric-acoustic transducer, and an electronic system interconnecting the sensor and the electric-acoustic transducer. The electric-acoustic transducer is mounted in an opening extending radially through the stationary race. The electric-acoustic transducer has an elastic cap pressed into the inside of the housing by a spring. An alternative configuration, having at least one sensor mounted on a rotatable inner race, without a hard-wired connection through the bearing housing, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A temperature sensor is mounted on the inside surface of a stationary race around which a rotatable race rotates. Electric signals from the temperature sensor are converted into acoustic signals. Without the use of any hard wires, the acoustic signals are received by an acoustic-electric transducer mounted on the outside surface of the bearing housing. These electric signals from the acoustic-electric transducer are frequency demodulated and converted into signals which indicate on a display panel the temperatures within the bearing.

Abstract: A bearing is mounted within a housing having an acoustic-electric transducer mounted on its outside. A stationary annular outer race has at least one sensor, an electric-acoustic transducer, and an electronic system interconnecting the sensor and the electric-acoustic transducer. The electric-acoustic transducer is mounted in an opening extending radially through the stationary race. The electric-acoustic transducer has an elastic cap pressed into the inside of the housing by a spring.

Abstract: One or more sensors are mounted on the inside surface of a stationary race/sensor mount assembly in the bearing housing. A parameter sensed by the sensor is electronically fed to the outside surface of the stationary race/sensor mount assembly and detected by a transmitter mounted in the housing. The detected information is electrically fed from the transmitter to an electronic system located outside the housing.

Abstract: First and second radial actuating clamps provide selective radial engagement with a housing for preloaded bearings. An axial actuator, retained between the first and second radial actuating clamps, provides selective expansion and contraction of the axial distance between the first and second radial actuator clamps. A method for adjusting the preload of preloaded bearings mounted within a housing is also disclosed. The method includes alternate clamping and unclamping of two radial actuating clamps against the housing while an axial actuator expands and contracts the axial distance between the radial actuating clamps.