Autosamplers, autoloaders and systems and devices using them

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020033373-A1
Application number	US-201916511113-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 15, 2019
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Jan 30, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Certain configurations described herein are directed to autosamplers. In some instances, the autosampler may include a support comprising a body configured to receive two or more articles at separate sites of the body. The autosampler may also include a first motor coupled to the support and configured to rotate the support in an x-y plane, and a second motor configured to move the support in a z-direction to load one of the at least two articles at the separate sites in the body of the support. An encoder may also be used with the autosampler if desired.

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A thermal gravimetric analysis device comprising:
an oven; and an autoloader comprising a support configured to receive two or more articles at two different sites of the autoloader support, a first motor coupled to the support and configured to rotate the support in an x-y plane to position at least one of the different sites at a loading position, and a second motor configured to move the support in a z-direction to load the article positioned at the loading position onto a wire support of the thermal gravimetric analysis device and to remove the article from the wire support and place it back on the autoloader support

12 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 11 , further comprising a balance configured to measure the weight of a sample in the article.

13 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 11 , further comprising a needle configured to puncture the article before moving the article to the loading position.

14 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 11 , further comprising a sampling tube statically placed directly above the oven and configured to sample vapor generated during the thermal gravimetric analysis.

15 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 14 , in which the sampling tube is not removed prior to loading sample into the oven or unloading sample from the oven.

16 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 14 , further comprising a gas chromatography device fluidically coupled to the sampling tube.

17 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 14 , further comprising a mass spectrometer fluidically coupled to the sampling tube.

18 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 11 , further comprising an encoder spatially coupled to the support and configured to provide a position of the support using a code read from the encoder.

19 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 18 , in which the encoder comprises an array of distinguishable elements of varying length present on an encoder support, in which the varying length of the distinguishable elements is used to generate a code for each subset of the array of distinguishable elements.

20 . The thermal gravimetric analysis device of claim 19 , further comprising a single sensor configured to read the distinguishable elements.

21 - 85 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Perkinelmer Health Sci Inc

Inventors

• Van Grinsven Paul Pieter Willem

Classifications

• G01D5/14

  influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage · CPC title

• G01N2035/0491

  Position sensing, encoding; closed-loop control · CPC title

• G01N35/10 Primary

  Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N2035/041

  lifting items out of a rack for access · CPC title

• G01N2035/0441

  for samples · CPC title