...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8117929 | Control of the positional relationship between a sample collection instrument and a surface to be analyzed during a sampling procedure using a laser sensor A system and method utilizes distance-measuring equipment including a laser sensor for controlling the collection instrument-to-surface distance during a sample collection process for use, for example, with mass spectrometric detection. The laser sensor is arranged ... | 02/21/2012 |
| 7866221 | Method for storing pipette chip A method for storing pipette chips for making a container for storing used pipette chips on a pipetting device compact is provided. A method for storing pipette chips including a step of moving a pipette chip to an entrance portion of a pipette chip container, a ste... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7861607 | Pressurized fluid station The present invention is directed to a pressurized fluid station. In an exemplary embodiment, the pressurized fluid station includes a vessel for receiving a sample probe. The vessel includes walls contoured to form a seal around the sample probe. Further, a deliver... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7690275 | Automated sampling device An enclosure for an automated sampling and/or dispensing device for minimizing contamination to samples enclosed therein. Further, the enclosure may minimize user exposure to the enclosed samples allowing for the containment of potentially hazardous chemicals. In an... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7637175 | Automated sampling device A dampening device for an automated sampling/dispensing device. In an exemplary embodiment, the dampening device includes a cylindrical body. The cylindrical body includes a first end and a second end, a first opening being defined within the first end and a second ... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7497135 | Method for placing a receptacle containing a liquid in a device for sampling the liquid and sampling device for applying the method A method for placing a receptacle in a device for sampling liquid is described. It utilizes a device for sampling a liquid present in the receptacle, enabling the method of placing said receptacle to be applied. This method includes placing the receptacle, such as a... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7451665 | Autoanalyzer and probe cleaning method A specimen is sequentially sampled by a probe, and at least one of the number of times of cleaning and a cleaning time when cleaning the probe is changed based on at least one of the number of times of sampling of the specimen by the probe and a sampling amount of t... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7377189 | Sampling device and method for an automatic analyser A method and device for an automatic analyzer, in particular for blood analysis sampling consists in displacing a sampling needle (5) rotatable around an axis (X2) which forms an angle with the sampling needle. The method and device are particularly su... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7361509 | Dynamic metered fluid volume determination method and related apparatus A method for dynamically determining the volume of a liquid dispensed by a metering system, the metering system including a metering pump, a pump motor, a sensor, and a conduit interconnecting the pump and a metering probe. The method includes the steps of aspiratin... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7361269 | Fraction collector with adjustable tray A fraction collector comprising a movable tray is provided. The movable tray may be attached to the fraction collector support system in a variety of ways and adjusted without adjusting the parts of the fraction collector support system. The moveable tray may be sta... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7337653 | Liquid chromatography specimen filling method A sample injection apparatus and sample injection method capable of sufficiently reducing carry-over, having simple cleaning means for a short cleaning time period, a small influence of vibration of the cleaning means, and a small error in the amount of injected sam... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7323705 | Liquid level measurement The present application relates to an apparatus and method for measuring liquid levels in small-volume wells. ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7314595 | High throughput microarray spotting system and method A system is described for automatic retrieval of microplates from a carousel. The system includes an effector arm that retrieves a selected microplate from the carousel, a microplate retainer that receives the selected microplate from the effector arm, and a control... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7290973 | Automatic storage system First and second shelf sections are positioned side by side in an outer frame having front left and right doors. The first self section is fixed to a rear wall of the outer frame, and the second shelf section is secured to the front left and right doors. By opening ... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7284453 | Method and apparatus for maximizing liquid aspiration from small vessels Apparatus and method for aspirating liquid from a container, e.g., a test tube or other vessel, includes apparatus for sensing that an aspiration probe tip is contacting the inside bottom wall of the container, whereby a maximum volume of liquid can be aspirated fro... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7267800 | Drainage system In a system for sucking and discharging a solution from a vessel (micro-plate assembly 6) by suction nozzles 2, processes for suction, discharge, separation, etc. can be carried out with use of a simple mechanism, including suction nozzle moving means ... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7214023 | Automatic storage system First and second shelf sections are positioned side by side in an outer frame. A transfer section is movable along a linear space defined between the first and second shelf sections. The transfer section includes a movable base and a rack pull-out mechanism provided... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7201072 | Automated sampling device The present invention is directed to an automated sampling and/or dispensing device for minimizing possible sample contamination from contaminants (e.g., mechanical pieces of machinery, dust, or the like) falling into sample vials during analysis by having no mechan... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7197948 | Method of dosing liquid volumes and apparatus for the execution of the method Method for dosing liquid volumes, wherein a sample pickup portion with a pickup volume, the boundary of which is perforated with a liquid passage guiding to the outside and a gas passage, is dipped into a liquid with the liquid passage, a negative pressure is sudden... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7198758 | Microarraying head and microarrayer A microarraying head 51 has a base portion 57 and a plurality of needles 53. The needles 53 are arranged in parallel with one another on the base portion 57. The needles 53 place a solution on substrates 3 with the to... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7186378 | Liquid sampling probe and cleaning fluidics system A sampling aliquotter for aspirating aliquot portions of sample fluid from a closed container and for dispensing aliquot portions into a vessel using horizontal and vertical drives to drive a probe into the closed container, to position the probe above the vessel, a... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7182912 | Fluid handling apparatus for an automated analyzer An analyzer for performing automated assay testing. The analyzer includes a storage and conveyor system for conveying cuvettes to an incubation or processing conveyor, a storage and selection system for test sample containers, a storage and selection system for reag... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7178414 | Automation of liquid phase microextraction A method and apparatus for automatically performing liquid microextraction on liquid samples includes the steps of controlling movement of a syringe between a cleaning station, a sample station containing a plurality of discrete sample vials and an instrument inject... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7168287 | Reference leakage device for leak sniffer detector A reference leakage device for a leak sniffer detector that is equipped with a sniffing tip and a control unit. The reference leakage device includes a gas reservoir and a constriction wherefrom there is released a specific amount of test gas, at least during calibr... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7144554 | Ultra low volume probe A probe head used in robotic assays for transferring liquid in miniscule quantities. The probe head includes an array of liquid transferring needles which move as a unit with the probe head. As the needles contact a surface, high spots or other irregularities on the... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7025933 | Microarray dispensing with real-time verification and inspection A microarrayer for spotting solution onto a receiving surface in an automated microarray dispensing device. Elements of the present invention include: at least one dispense head for spotting the receiving surface, at least one light source capable of illuminating th... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7024955 | Methods and systems for dissolution testing Methods and systems for determining a dissolution profile of a sample material, and for solubilization screening of a library defined by an array comprising multiple sample materials are disclosed. The methods and systems are particularly advantageous for sampling a... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6997067 | Liquid sample pipette with detachable ejector The sampling pipette comprises a body and an arm movable relative to the body to eject a cone fixed to the pipette, ejection taking place in a longitudinal direction of the pipette, the arm having both a first portion suitable for coming into contact with the cone, ... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6988518 | Robotic system and method for transport of materials with minimization of footprint size A robotic system and method that provides three axes of movement to couple a robotic arm with a desired target for movement of materials, including but not limited to fluids. The robotic arm moves in two axes of direction only, and the targets move in the third axis... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6982063 | Automated pipetting system A highly automated, high volume multichannel pipetting system which transfers liquid from mother plates to daughter plates, or from a fill station to daughter plates. The mother plates are stacked in one set of stacker assemblies, while the empty daughter plates are... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6976383 | Apparatus for high temperature withdrawal or dispensing of fluids Rapid characterization and screening of polymer samples to determine average molecular weight, molecular weight distribution and other properties is disclosed. Rapid flow characterization systems and methods, including liquid chromatography and flow-injection analys... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6973846 | Sample handling device for an analytical instrument The invention relates to a sample handling device for an analytical device, comprising a sampler provided with a holder, a movable holding arm for the holder and a support for the holder, said support being arranged in a stationary manner with respect to the holding... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6938504 | Method and device for evaluating a liquid dosing process The invention relates to a method for evaluating a liquid dosing process in a container which is at least partially filled with a gas. According to the inventive method, a temporal course of at least one state variable p of a medium contained in said container is de... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6913934 | Apparatus and methods for parallel processing of multiple reaction mixtures A cannula for use in transferring small volumes of fluid materials, such as in a parallel reaction process. The cannula comprises a long thin needle having various end (port) configurations, and an adapter for connecting the needle to a fluid line. The adapter may i... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6901819 | Probe tip alignment for precision liquid handler A probe drive system of a precision liquid handler sequentially inserts probe tips of a multiple probe array into a locator well at a known position on a locator bed. The position of each probe tip is determined by driving the probe tip into contact with points on t... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6898990 | Sampling cartridge for gas sampling apparatus A sampling cartridge for a gas sampling apparatus includes a shell having a cylindrical wall and a sampling window extending through the wall. A pair of spools are coaxially and internally positioned within the shell. The spools are independently rotatable relative ... | 05/31/2005 |
| 6851453 | Fluid dispense verification system A sensor for detecting contact of a fluid delivery probe with a fluid surface and for detecting fluid flow through the probe includes a first electrode disposed along a fluid flow path of the probe upstream from a distal tip of the probe and a second electrode longi... | 02/08/2005 |
| 6852283 | Substance transfer device A work station for simultaneously performing multiple assays includes a base structure, a receptacle rack assembly received within a receptacle rack well formed in the base structure, a pipette tip rack assembly received within a pipette tip rack well formed in the ... | 02/08/2005 |
| 6848633 | Spray device In an aspirating and dispensing/spraying device, a holder is screwed onto a tube, connected to a liquid supply line, in such a way that it is displaceable along the tube by rotation. The tube is surrounded at a distance by a coaxial sleeve, which is solidly anchored... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6846456 | Assay work station A work station for simultaneously performing multiple assays includes a base structure, a receptacle rack assembly received within a receptacle rack well formed in the base structure, a pipette tip rack assembly received within a pipette tip rack well formed in the ... | 01/25/2005 |