Abstract: The invention relates to a classification process for superabsorbent polymer particles, comprising classifying the water-absorbent polymer particles in a screen machine under reduced pressure wherein the pressure above the uppermost sieve is from 0 to 4.0 mbar per sieve higher than below the undermost sieve.

Abstract: A piler conveyor system for screening debris such as tare dirt from materials such as beets as the materials are conveyed across a piler. The piler conveyor system generally includes a frame supporting an upper conveyor and a pair of lower conveyors. The upper conveyor is adapted to receive materials such as beets. As the materials are conveyed by the upper conveyor, debris such as tare dirt or the like will fall through screening openings in the upper conveyor and onto the lower conveyor. The lower conveyor may then dispense the debris through a debris opening. The materials will drop off the end of the upper conveyor and fall onto the second lower conveyor, which will convey the screened materials to be dispensed.

Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting axial forces applied to a container are provided. The devices can include a device housing, a container section, a force measurement sensor, and a processing section. The device housing can extend between a first housing end and a second housing end along a longitudinal axis. The container section can be mounted to the housing proximate the first housing end. The container section can have an open first section end and a closed second section end spaced apart along the longitudinal axis and at least one sidewall extending therebetween. The container section can define a cavity bounded by the first section end, the second section end and the at least one sidewall. The force measurement sensor can be positioned to generate the force measurement data in response to an axial force applied at the first section end.

Abstract: The invention relates to a jam detecting device (10) for detecting defective packages in a filling machine. The jam detecting device (10) comprises a movable element 5 (12), and a sensor (13) connected to the movable element (12). The jam detecting device (10) is adapted to be positioned in the filling machine such that any defective package will mechanically raise the movable element (12) when passing the same and thereby trigger the sensor (13). The invention also relates to a method for detecting defective packages in a filling machine, and a folding unit (1) and a filling machine for producing packages (2) of pourable food products from sealed packs (3).

Abstract: The composition of articles can be identified using luminescent codes printed or coated onto the articles (or labels on the articles) by means of an ink which contains long persistence luminescent materials. Radiation is used to excite the luminescent materials and this is then extinguished before the article passes beneath a spectrometer. An infrared beam then strikes the article in order to stimulate emission from the long persistence luminescent materials, via a detrapping mechanism, and the spectrometer detects the emission in order to identify the article.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated biocontainment cell sorter that isolates portions of the cell sorter that can create contamination. Two containment systems are utilized. A main cabinet containment system contains input samples. An aerosol management containment area includes a nozzle chamber with a nozzle and a sort chamber with sort plates and collection media that collect a droplet stream from the nozzle. The main cabinet is maintained at a first low pressure and clean air is recirculated under a positive pressure. The aerosol management containment area is kept at a second low pressure, which is lower than the first pressure, so that contamination does not leak from the aerosol management containment area into the main cabinet containment area. A sliding sash window is located over an access opening in the main cabinet and can be moved to access different portions of the main cabinet without changing the substantially constant first low pressure in the main cabinet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microorganism inspection system that is capable of instantly inspecting individual containers for microorganism contamination of the containers that are filled with or accommodate medicines and the like. The present invention has a supply means for supplying a predetermined amount of clean air to the inside or the outer surface of a container, a collecting means for collecting the air supplied to the container by the supply means, and a detecting means for detecting microorganisms included in the air collected by the collecting means.

Abstract: A waste sorting system uses various sensors to automatically determine a type of a piece of waste, and dispense the waste into an appropriate waste bin, such as a recyclable waste bin, or a landfill waste bin. If the system determines that the piece of waste is of a type that is recyclable, it will first determine whether the waste satisfies a recyclability threshold before it deposits the waste into a recyclable waste bin. If the waste does not satisfy the recyclability threshold, the system will direct the piece of waste to a non-recyclable waste bin even if it is of a type that would otherwise be recyclable if it had met the recyclability threshold.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include a particle sorting module having an opening that is configured for visualizing droplets of a deflected flow stream. Particle sorting modules according to certain embodiments include a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a wall therebetween having an opening positioned in the wall that is configured for aligning the flow stream with one or more sample containers at the distal end. Systems and methods for aligning a flow stream with one or more sample containers and sorting particles of a sample (e.g., a biological sample) are also provided. Kits having one or more of the particle sorting modules suitable for coupling with a particle sorting system and for practicing the subject methods are also described.

Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing for accommodating developer therein; a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one side of the casing in a second direction; a storage medium having an electric contact surface; and a holder movable relative to the casing in the second direction with the electric contact surface between a first position and a second position, the holder having an outer surface at which the electric contact surface is positioned.

Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing for accommodating developer therein; a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one side of the casing in a second direction; a storage medium having an electric contact surface; and a holder movable relative to the casing in the second direction with the electric contact surface between a first position and a second position, the holder having an outer surface at which the electric contact surface is positioned.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-unit rotary system and method for storage, intelligent sorting and picking of express parcels. Through adoption of layered design of a rotary storage unit, different sizes of parcels are stored in a sorting manner, thereby effectively increasing the utilization rate of the storage space; besides, due to the storage design of the subunits, arrangement of storage units of the system is more flexible, and the number of rotary storage unit subunits can be set freely according to the requirements for site space and the storage capacity for express parcels; through adoption of overall unit combination design of the present invention, the mounting, the layout and the maintenance of the system are more convenient, and during the operation of the system, automatic sorting and storage of the express parcels are achieved.

Abstract: A process for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in a manufactured product, the process comprising adding a fluorescent taggant to oils or lubricants contained in processing machinery for the product, irradiating the product with radiation, such as infrared or ultraviolet radiation, and detecting radiation emitted from the irradiated product.

Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.

Abstract: Described herein is a sensor for a virtually simultaneous measurement of transmission and/or forward scattering and/or remission and for a simultaneous measurement of the transmission and forward scattering or the transmission and remission of a liquid sample. Further described herein is a method for a virtually simultaneous measurement of transmission and/or forward scattering and/or remission and for a simultaneous measurement of the transmission and forward scattering or the transmission and remission of a liquid sample using a sensor according to the invention. Further described herein is a method for using the sensor according to the invention in order to determine the color properties of painting agents such as lacquers, dyes, pastes, and pigments or dilutions thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for examining particles in a liquid to be examined, comprising a flow passage through which the liquid to be examined is moved. The flow passage has at least one inlet through which at least one sheath fluid flows into the flow passage such that the at least one sheath fluid forms at least one sheath flow in the flow passage. The device further comprises a wave generating device for piezoacoustically generating sound waves which propagate through the flow passage transversely to the flow direction of the liquid to be examined and form wave nodes on a monitoring plane such that particles to be examined of the liquid to be examined are moved onto the monitoring plane and accumulate thereon on the basis of the pressure effect of the sound waves in the transverse direction.

Abstract: Provided is discharging device including liquid droplet discharging unit configured to discharge liquid droplet containing a light-emitting particle that undergoes luminescence in response to irradiation of light, light irradiating unit configured to irradiate liquid droplet discharged by liquid droplet discharging unit with the light, light detecting unit configured to detect luminescence by light-emitting particle contained in liquid droplet in response to irradiation of the light emitted by light irradiating unit, and average particle number calculating unit configured to determine presence/absence of light-emitting particle in liquid droplet based on whether light detecting unit has detected luminescence by light-emitting particle, and calculate average particle number, which is average, among all liquid droplets discharged, in number of light-emitting particles contained per liquid droplet, based on ratio of liquid droplets containing no light-emitting particle relative to all the liquid droplets dischar

Abstract: A system includes a computing device including a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations including initiating transmission of incident light from one or more light sources to a sealed bottle containing liquid. The operations also include receiving scattered light from the liquid contained in the sealed bottle. The operations also include processing one or more signals representative of the scattered light to detect interactions of the incident light with a particular molecule.

Abstract: A liquid droplet forming device includes a liquid droplet discharger that discharges, as a liquid droplet, a particle suspension liquid in which one or more fluorescent particles are suspended; a light source for irradiating light onto the flying liquid droplet discharged from the liquid droplet discharger; a photodetector that receives fluorescence that is emitted by the one or more fluorescent particles included in the liquid droplet in response to the light as excitation light; and a particle number detector that detects a number of the one or more fluorescent particles included in the liquid droplet based on information from the photodetector.

Abstract: The present invention involves a system and method for monitoring and controlling the aseptic dispensing of a pharmaceutical fluid into containers. The system employs a pharmaceutical fluid dispensing head to dispense droplets of the pharmaceutical fluid along a droplet path into the container and a droplet monitoring system to monitor the droplets produced and dispensed. The volume of at least one droplet is determined based on images of the droplet falling along the droplet path. The volume of pharmaceutical fluid dispensed is determined from the volume of the droplets. The pharmaceutical fluid dispensing head and the droplet monitoring system may be mutually integrated and may be used in systems using different mechanisms for moving containers, including rotary stage systems and robotic arms.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for sorting target particles. In various embodiments, the disclosure provides a cassette for sorting target particles, methods for sorting target particles, methods of loading a microchannel for maintaining sample material viability, methods of quantifying sample material, and an optical apparatus for laser scanning and particle sorting.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a method and reagent for improving a yield of selective dispersion of semiconducting carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: A particle counting apparatus is provided that includes: a droplet discharger configured to discharge a droplet containing at least one luminescent particle capable of emitting light upon receiving light; a light irradiator configured to irradiate the droplet discharged by the droplet discharger with light; at least one light receiver configured to receive light emitted by the at least one luminescent particle irradiated with the light emitted by the light irradiator; and circuitry configured to count luminescent particles contained in the droplet based on the light received by the at least one light receiver, the circuitry being configured to measure a presence or absence of the luminescent particles contained in the droplet; and to measure a number of the luminescent particles contained in the droplet.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for automatically performing set-up steps for flow cytometry operations. The invention provides for the spatial determination of a flow stream and the subsequent automatic alignment of analysis devices and/or collection vessels. The automatic determination of flow stream properties provides for the automatic configuration flow cytometer parameters.

Abstract: Information is obtained from a package filling machine, regarding sampling occasions in the form of sampling records. Each sampling record comprises a first time stamp for the sampling occasion, information describing a trigger for the sampling occasion, a number of package samples taken at the sampling occasion, and a second time stamp that specifies when the package samples were taken. Analysis information regarding contaminated package samples is obtained from a package sample analysis system. The sampling records and analysis information are processed to link contaminated package samples with sampling occasions. A table is generated that comprises, for each sampling occasion, the first time stamp, the information that describes a trigger for the sampling occasion, the number of package samples taken at the sampling occasion, the second time stamp and a number of contaminated package samples at the sampling occasion.

Abstract: A method and a sorting plant for sorting out mineral-containing objects car plastic objects from a single layer material stream is shown. Here it is provided that objects (12) of the material stream are irradiated with stimulating light and the resulting fluorescent light is detected in the form of an image of the fluorescent points, the objects of the material stream are irradiated with object detection light outside the fluorescent light, and the transmitted light after passage between the objects or the reflected light of the objects is detected in the form of an image of the individual objects, an object is then defined as containing at least one specific mineral or one specific plastic if the fluorescent light of said object lies in a predetermined intensity range for at least one predetermined wavelength range, and the so defined objects are separated from other objects of the material stream.

Abstract: There is provided a droplet sorting device including a detector configured to detect a state of droplets ejected from an orifice that generates a fluid stream and of satellite droplets existing between the droplets, and a controller configured to control a frequency of a driving voltage supplied to a vibration element that applies vibration to the orifice on the basis of positions where the satellite droplets exist.

Abstract: An automatic distributor is disclosed. The automatic distributor comprises a base, a storage device mounted on the base to store a plurality of components with different shapes thereon, a recognition device configured to recognize the components stored on the storage device, and a pickup device configured to pick up the components based on a recognition result of the recognition device.

Abstract: Systems, including apparatus and methods, for the microfluidic manipulation, dispensing, and/or sorting of particles, such as cells and/or beads.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices, systems and techniques in connection with particle sorting in liquid, including cytometry devices and techniques and applications in chemical or biological testing and diagnostic measurements.

Abstract: Laser-induced fluorescence based optical system and method configured to precisely quantify the relative abundances of calcium (Ca) isotopes in a sample. Optionally, a diode laser is used as a laser source, with its output frequency shifted by two electro-optical modulators to optically excite fluorescence in the calcium-containing sample. The amounts of fluorescence emitted by the various isotopes are measured and compared.

Abstract: A method for separating fat from beef pieces containing fat. The method includes, with an apparatus, reducing the size of beef pieces containing fat when the fat is in a brittle condition into a mixture of particles that include predominantly fat and particles that include predominantly lean; and, with an apparatus, separating the fat particles from the lean particles based on color differences or size differences.

Abstract: A sorting flow cytometer identifies an undesirable drop charge sequence that is preassigned to adjacent drops before the drops have separated from a fluid stream. An example of an undesirable drop charge sequence is a sequence of adjacent drops that are charged with sufficiently high opposing charges that, after the drops are formed, would result in merging of the adjacent drops. The sorting flow cytometer adjusts the assignment of drop charges to avoid the undesired drop charge sequence.

Abstract: A dryer includes a cylinder, a heater, a motor, a temperature sensor and a controller. The heater heats air and delivers the heated air into the cylinder. The motor is used to drive the cylinder to rotate. The temperature sensor includes a thermopile array sensor and a signal processor. The thermopile array sensor is used to sense an infrared light radiated from clothing and output a sensing signal. The signal processor is used to process the sensing signal to obtain at least one of a temperature distribution uniformity and an average temperature of the clothing, and output a control signal according to the at least one of the temperature distribution uniformity and the average temperature of the clothing. The controller determines to stop the drying schedule according to the control signal. The above-mentioned dryer can stop the drying schedule automatically, so as to save energy.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include methods for detecting events in a flow cytometer. Also provided are methods of detecting cells in a flow cytometer. Other aspects of the present disclosure include methods for determining a level of contamination in a flow cell. Computer-readable media and systems, e.g., for practicing the methods summarized above, are also provided.

Abstract: A discharge device includes a discharge head that discharges a liquid material from a nozzle opening connected to the cavity by varying the internal pressure of a cavity using an actuator. The discharge head includes a monitoring portion provided between the cavity and the nozzle opening and the discharge device further includes a detection apparatus that detects the number and/or form of the particle-like bodies included in the liquid material in the monitoring portion of the discharge head and a control unit that drives the actuator according to the detection result of the detection unit to change the state of the particle-like bodies included in the liquid material of the monitoring portion.

Abstract: Provided is a particle analyzer capable of suppressing mixture of other particles and analyzing particles with high accuracy. A sample liquid introducing member is disposed immediately below a flow cell of a particle analyzer in a manner movable in a forward direction and a reverse direction relative to a sample liquid introducing direction, and formed by integrating a suction nozzle adapted to suck sample liquid with a sample liquid introducing nozzle disposed inside an introducing unit of the flow cell and adapted to discharge the sucked sample liquid into the flow cell. Furthermore, a movement restriction mechanism adapted to restrict a moving amount of the sample liquid introducing member is provided.

Abstract: A microfluidic device for isolating particles of at least one given type of a sample; the device is designed to be connected to an apparatus through a plurality of electrical connectors and comprises a system of microfluidic channels and a flash memory, which contains information on the structure (arrangement and geometry of the various components) of the system of microfluidic channels, a map of non-functioning parts of the device, the maximum number of uses and the maximum time of use of the device; the memory has portions allocated for storing the number of times and the time of use of the device.

Abstract: A microchip includes a channel permitting a sheath liquid to flow therethrough; and a microtube for introducing a sample liquid into a laminar flow of the sheath liquid flowing through the channel; wherein liquid feeding is performed in the condition where a laminar flow of the sample liquid introduced through the microtube is surrounded by the laminar flow of the sheath liquid.

Abstract: There is provided a particle sorting apparatus, including: an excited light irradiating unit for irradiating an excited light to particles flowing through a flow path; a light irradiating unit for detecting a speed for irradiating a light for detecting a speed to the particles at a position different from the excited light; a light detecting unit for detecting a light emitted from the particles; a calculating unit of an arrival time for individually calculating an arrival time of each particle at a sorting unit being communicating with the flow path from a detection time difference between the light derived from the excited light and the light derived from the light for detecting a speed; and a sorting control unit for controlling sorting of the particles, and a method thereof.

Abstract: Described are microparticle fractionating apparatus and methods of fractionating microparticles. Multiple electrodes may be used to charge droplets when separating and collecting microparticles based on a result analyzed by an optical methodologies. A first electrode may be used to charge a sample fluid, and a second electrode used to apply additional charge near a droplet break-off point.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for sorting and isolating individual microparticles (e.g., cells) by bulk sorting groups of microparticles into groups containing one or more microparticle having a desirable characteristic (e.g., a label such as a florescent label, shape, size, etc.), and then sorting the individual microparticles with this desired characteristic individual particles.

Abstract: In a method and system for forming concentrated volumes of microbeads, a polymer solution and/or suspension includes a polymer dissolved and/or dispersed in a medium. Streams of a focusing fluid and of the polymer solution and/or suspension flow towards a fluid bath, and into intersection with one another, so as to focus the polymer solution and/or suspension. The polymer solution and/or suspension stream forms microbeads in the fluid bath Some of the focusing fluid is drawn from the fluid bath, so as to concentrate the microbeads in the fluid bath. The system includes a flow focusing apparatus and a liquid-containing cell. The focusing apparatus includes polymer and focusing nozzles. The cell contains the fluid bath and has an outlet port, through which the focusing fluid is drawn.

Abstract: An apparatus for checking an adherence state of fiber reinforced plastic tape includes an illuminating section having first and second illuminating groups. The main optical axes of illumination light beams of light emitting sections of the first illuminating group are set at a designated inclination angle with respect to a surface of an imaging region and distances on the main optical axes between a surface of a structural object and each of the light emitting sections are set to be the same. The main optical axes of illumination light beams of light emitting sections of the second illuminating group are set at an inclination angle different from the first illuminating group with respect to the surface of the imaging region and distances on the main optical axes between the surface of the structural object and each of the light emitting sections are set to be the same.

Abstract: A device and method for particle separation. The device includes at least one collimated light source operable to generate at least one collimated light source beam. The device further includes a first channel in a first plane and a focused particle stream nozzle operably connected to the first channel. The device further includes a second channel in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane. The second channel communicates with the first channel. The second channel comprises a second channel cross-section. The second channel is oriented to receive the collimated light source beam. The device further includes a third channel in a third plane orthogonal to the second plane. The third channel communicates with the second channel. The collimated light source beam is oriented to enter a cross-section of the first channel, then to pass through the second channel, and then to enter a cross-section of the third channel.

Abstract: An image processing system comprises a generating unit that reads documents and generates a read image including document images; an extracting unit that extracts each of the document images; a character recognizing unit that performs character recognition processing on each the document images; a determining unit that determines whether first information and second information have a pair relationship, the first information being any one of recognition results obtained on one side of the document images, and the second information being any one of recognition results obtained on the other side of the document images; and a registering unit that registers pieces of information for the recognition results corresponding to the one side and to the other side respectively including the first information and the second information which are determined that both pieces of information have the pair relationship, as information for a piece of the documents, in a storage unit.

Abstract: A system includes a computing device including a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations including initiating transmission of incident light from one or more light sources to a sealed bottle containing liquid. The operations also include receiving scattered light from the liquid contained in the sealed bottle. The operations also include processing one or more signals representative of the scattered light to detect interactions of the incident light with a particular molecule.

Abstract: There is provided a microparticle sorting apparatus including a main channel through which a fluid including microparticles flows, a branch channel that is in communication with the main channel, an actuator that causes a negative pressure to be generated in the branch channel, and a drive unit that controls a voltage applied to the actuator to cause a change in pressure containing a step waveform component and an undershoot waveform component in the branch channel.

Abstract: Method and system for processing of meat trim products, where trim products are supplied as a sequence of collections of trim (COTs), each collection of trim (COT) comprising a plurality of trim products, whereby: a fat/meat relationship for a collection of trim (COT) is measured; a collection of trim (COT) is transferred to a selected station by a separator, controlled by a controller; and whereby a batch is completed at a selected station on the basis of data for said fat/meat relationship, said batch comprising one or more collections of trim (COTs) and fulfilling a predetermined criterion regarding a total fat/meat relationship.

Abstract: A sample identification/sorting apparatus includes a sample storage portion that stores samples dispersed in a liquid, a flow cell having a flow path through which the liquid flows, and a sorting nozzle that has a flow path communicating with the flow path of the flow cell and dispenses a sorting solution including the sample, which is a target sample, to a culture plate. A difference between a flow direction of the liquid at an outlet of the sample storage portion and a flow direction of the liquid at a leading end of the sorting nozzle is less than 90 degrees.