A substance weighing system and method are provided. The system includes a balance, and axle, a substance dish, an axle support bracket, and an axle rotator. The axle has a rotational axis extending between first and second axial ends. The substance dish is fixed to the axle adjacent the first axial end. The axle support bracket mounts the axle relative to the balance and in a manner that permits the axle to rotate about its rotational axis. The axle rotator has a motor and a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism communicates with the motor and is configured to cause the axle to rotate between first and second rotational positions. In the first rotational position the substance dish is positioned to hold a substance, and the axle rotator is in a contactless state. In the second rotational position, the substance dish is positioned to release the substance.

Fluid introduction into the patient during surgery can be tracked more accurately. For example, saline is often introduced to a patient to clean an operating site. The saline is taken from a sterile bucket and introduced to the patient. In one described approach, the system senses the volume or weight of fluid in the sterile bucket and determines any decrease in the volume or weight to be an introduction of fluid to the patient. If, however, additional saline is added to the bucket, that addition is not counted in the fluid tracking and the further decrements from that new fluid amount is what is used to track fluid addition to the patient.

Fluid introduction into the patient during surgery can be tracked more accurately. For example, saline is often introduced to a patient to clean an operating site. The saline is taken from a sterile bucket and introduced to the patient. In one described approach, the system senses the volume or weight of fluid in the sterile bucket and determines any decrease in the volume or weight to be an introduction of fluid to the patient. If, however, additional saline is added to the bucket, that addition is not counted in the fluid tracking and the further decrements from that new fluid amount is what is used to track fluid addition to the patient.

The invention is directed to an automated Marsh funnel and Marsh funnel apparatus or system, and an automated method for measuring the Marsh funnel time and density of drilling muds and calculating other rheological properties from Marsh funnel time and mud weight. The system measures and reports rheological properties of drilling muds in real time and faster, more conveniently, and more accurately than conventional manual methods.

A precursor delivery system for determining material levels and related methods can include an ampoule and at least one tray disposed in the ampoule. The at least one tray may be configured to hold an amount of a precursor material. A load cell assembly is also included. The load cell assembly may include a load cell. The load cell assembly may be coupled to the at least one tray in a configuration sufficient for the at least one tray to exert a mechanical force upon the load cell. This mechanical force may be correlative to the amount of precursor material present on the at least one tray and thus may be used to determine material levels within the ampoule.

A precursor delivery system for determining material levels and related methods can include an ampoule and at least one tray disposed in the ampoule. The at least one tray may be configured to hold an amount of a precursor material. A load cell assembly is also included. The load cell assembly may include a load cell. The load cell assembly may be coupled to the at least one tray in a configuration sufficient for the at least one tray to exert a mechanical force upon the load cell. This mechanical force may be correlative to the amount of precursor material present on the at least one tray and thus may be used to determine material levels within the ampoule.

A method for controlling an electronic scale in disclosed in this disclosure, which is applied to measure and indicate a state of an external force, comprises the following steps. A weight sensor detects the external force, and a controller drives a prompting device to emit a first light with a first optical characteristic when the external force detected by the weight sensor reaches a first weight. The controller drives the prompting device to emit a second light with a second optical characteristic when the prompting device emits the first light for a predetermined period, wherein the prompting device continuously emits the second light until the external force reaches a second weight.

A method for controlling an electronic scale in disclosed in this disclosure, which is applied to measure and indicate a state of an external force, comprises the following steps. A weight sensor detects the external force, and a controller drives a prompting device to emit a first light with a first optical characteristic when the external force detected by the weight sensor reaches a first weight. The controller drives the prompting device to emit a second light with a second optical characteristic when the prompting device emits the first light for a predetermined period, wherein the prompting device continuously emits the second light until the external force reaches a second weight.

A load suspension and weighing system for a removable reservoir unit of a portable dialysis machine includes a centrally located flexure assembly. The flexure assembly includes magnets and a number of flexure rings which allow for movement of the magnets about a fixed circuit board. Sensors in the circuit board sense changes in the magnetic field as the magnets move in relation to the circuit board. The magnetic field changes produce a voltage output which is used by a processor to generate weight calculations. The top of the flexure assembly is attached to the interior of the dialysis machine. The entirety of the reservoir unit is suspended by a first internal frame that is attached to the bottom of the flexure assembly. Having a single flexure assembly positioned above the reservoir unit provides more accurate weight measurements while also preventing damage to the assembly from water spillage.

A load suspension and weighing system for a removable reservoir unit of a portable dialysis machine includes a centrally located flexure assembly. The flexure assembly includes magnets and a number of flexure rings which allow for movement of the magnets about a fixed circuit board. Sensors in the circuit board sense changes in the magnetic field as the magnets move in relation to the circuit board. The magnetic field changes produce a voltage output which is used by a processor to generate weight calculations. The top of the flexure assembly is attached to the interior of the dialysis machine. The entirety of the reservoir unit is suspended by a first internal frame that is attached to the bottom of the flexure assembly. Having a single flexure assembly positioned above the reservoir unit provides more accurate weight measurements while also preventing damage to the assembly from water spillage.