A rotary encoder for a valve comprises a rotatable code plate and an optical detector module comprising one or more optical detectors. The code plate defines a set of voids arranged along a set of one or more concentric circular arcs about an axis of rotation. The voids define an angle-dependent pattern over the set of arcs, the pattern comprising a plurality of distinct sectoral elements (A-O, X). At least two of the sectoral elements, located in non-adjacent sectors of the code plate, are identical, but the pattern is non-repeating over a single full rotation of the code plate about the axis. Each optical detector is aligned with a respective concentric circular arc of the code plate. A controller processes time-varying output signals from the optical detectors to determine successive positions of the rotatable code plate.

A position sensor employing silicon photodiodes formed from trapezoidal chips mounted on a printed circuit board detects angular positions of a rotor shaft within a galvanometer-based optical scanner.

An apparatus for rotary encoding includes a knob configured to be rotated. The apparatus also includes multiple switches each configured to selectively form or not form a connection based on a current rotational position of the knob. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to generate or use a digital value associated with the current rotational position of the knob. The digital value is defined by which switches have or have not formed connections. Locations where the switches form the connections are selected such that the digital values uniquely identify different rotational positions of the knob and are non-sequential as the knob is rotated.

A test tube rack of an analyzer pipeline includes multiple test tube holders for holding test tubes. The test tube rack of an analyzer pipeline comprises a light blocker configured at a side wall of the test tube rack and across multiple test tube holders. A second feature area is on the light blocker between two adjacent test tube holders, a first feature area is between two adjacent second feature areas and a step gap with a predetermined depth is between the first feature area and a second feature area.

The invention is directed to a surgical microscope and a device for switching the same among multiple working modes. The device includes an illumination rotary member and an observation rotary member that are arranged, respectively, in the illumination beam path and the observation beam path of the surgical microscope and are drivable by the same power source to rotate synchronously among multiple rotary positions corresponding to the multiple working modes. In each of the rotary positions, light from a light source of the surgical microscope passes through one or more of multiple light-through-portions of the illumination rotary member along the illumination beam path to illuminate the observed object, and then passes through one or more of multiple light-through-portions of the observation rotary member along the observation beam path to reach the eyepiece and/or an observation instrument of the surgical microscope.

A method for providing a singling device of a storage and dispensing container for drug portions is provided. A singling device is adapted to a specific drug portion based on the measurement of the drug portion. The measurement is obtained by generating at least one image of a to-be-measured drug portion by a detection device and using image analysis to process the at least one image. Drug information for the specific drug portion is determined, the drug information including at least the dimensions of the specific drug portion. Based on the determined drug information, a singling device fitting the drug portion to be singularized is identified and provided for use in the storage and dispensing container. A system for identifying a singling device is also provided.

A dispensing system (2) and method for dispensing unit dosage forms (38) from a blister pack (30) is disclosed. The system (2) comprises a housing (4) for receiving a blister pack (30), the blister pack (30) having a plurality of cavities (32) with at least one unit dosage form (38) sealed in each of the cavities (32), the housing (4) comprising at least one housing aperture. The system (2) also comprises a sensing layer comprising a plurality of apertures, each sensing layer aperture configured to substantially align with a corresponding one or more of the plurality of cavities (32) of the blister pack (30) when a blister pack (30) is received in the housing (4) and at least one sensing region. The system (2) further comprises an electronics unit and a power source for providing voltage to the sensing layer. In use, the unit dosage forms (38) are dispensed from the blister pack (30) through the sensing layer apertures and through the at least one housing aperture, for example by application of pressure (P) upon each cavity (32), and the sensing layer senses each unit dosage form (38) being dispensed from the blister pack (30).

A rotary position detector includes a housing having an inner space having a reflective element. A light source emits light rays into the inner space. A base supports a light detector assembly having a first number of toroidal-sector-shaped light sensors arranged circumferentially about a motor shaft axis, is, one Cosine + detector element, one Cosine detector element, one Sine + detector element, and one Sine detector element. A light blocker positioned between the light source and the light sensors rotates with the shaft. The light blocker includes a second number of opaque, equal-surface-area elements arrayed about the axis, the second number equal to one-half the first number. A circuit measures a signal from the detectors relating to an amount of light falling thereon, a difference related to an angular position of the motor shaft.

A larvae counter comprising a first container for receiving water, eggs of insects and/or larvae, a second container in fluid communication with the first container for receiving water and larvae from the first container, and a larvae counting module in fluid communication with the second container for receiving water and larvae from the second container and counting the larvae.

The latch detection system and latch detection method disclosed herein determines an orientation of one or more latches used to secure cargo in a cargo hold, and thus improves latch security and cargo transportation safety. To that end, aspects presented herein provide an optical latch detection system that detects whether one or more latches are in the locked or unlocked orientation. More particularly, aspects presented herein rely on a reflective laser system to determine the orientation of one or more latches based on the amount of reflected light detected by the laser system. In so doing, the disclosed latch detection system provides a reliable and repeatable option for determining the orientation of latch(es) in a cargo hold.