Multivolume liquid pipettes with nested plunger and vacuum chamber configurations and methods of using such pipettes are disclosed herein. These pipettes typically include a body and a fluid displacement assembly with a small plunger element slideably received within a larger plunger element, each movable within a vacuum chamber for the precise and accurate control of the displacement of fluid, such as air. In turn, this allows for a single device to aspirate and dispense a broad range of liquids in a dynamic, accurate, and precise manner. In addition, the devices disclosed herein may also include a multi-tiered spring-loaded ejection mechanism to allow the user to use and eject pipette tips of different sizes.

A pipetting device includes a pipetting channel at least partially filled with working gas, a pipetting tip which is accessible through a pipetting opening such that the volume of dosing liquid drawn into the receiving chamber through the pipetting opening can be varied by changing the pressure of the working gas in the receiving chamber, a pipetting piston for changing the pressure of the working gas and accommodated in the pipetting channel so as to be movable along the pipetting channel, a drive for driving the pipetting piston to perform a movement along the pipetting channel, a control device for controlling the drive, and a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the working gas. The control device controls the drive to generate a pressure pulse in the pipetting channel based on the pressure signal output by the pressure sensor such that the pressure of the working gas during the pulse follows a predefined working gas target pressure pulse curve.

Fluid assembly for use in a fluid system, having a control module including a processing unit for processing control commands into individual electrical control signals with individually adjustable control signal levels and a control signal level electrically connected to the processing unit, with a power unit, which has a power module for converting the control signals into individual electrical control currents as a function of the control signal levels and an output interface electrically connected to the power module, wherein the processing unit is designed to provide a first group of control signals in a first time interval which can be individually predetermined for each control signal and to provide a second group of control signals in a second time interval which can be individually predetermined for each control signal and follows the respective first time interval, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are selected in such a way that the control currents in the first time interval are greater than the control currents in the second time interval.

A multiple-antenna positioning system with a single drive element, providing reduced weight and complexity over systems that have a drive element for each antenna. In certain examples, each antenna can be coupled with a rotating spindle, with each antenna spindle being coupled with a pair of link arms. By driving a single drive spindle, each of the antenna spindles in the system can be rotated by the associated pair of link arms. The link arms can have an adjustable length, such as through a turnbuckle mechanism, to reduce backlash in the system, and in some examples can apply a preload to the system. By reducing backlash, the multiple antenna positioning system can have improved responsiveness to a rotation of the single drive element, as well as improved stability of the positioning of each antenna when the drive element is held in a fixed position.

An electronic laboratory metering system for liquids includes an electrical hand-held metering device (2) having at least one operation sensor unit (5) that detects operation of the hand-held metering device (2) and generates operating data and stores same in a storage apparatus (6), wherein the hand-held metering device (2) has an interface module (7) for connecting the hand-held metering device (2) to an external network access apparatus (4) for transferring the operating data; the metering system (1), specifically a data processing system (3), has a comparison unit (9) to compare operating data with target operating data and/or to compare context parameter data from the context parameter sensor unit (8) with target context parameter data and to generate a comparison result. The metering system (1) includes a documentation unit (10) designed to generate and store log data records including at least the operating data and/or the context parameter data. The documentation unit (10) is connected to the comparison unit (9) to transmit the comparison results from the comparison unit (9) to the documentation unit (10) and the documentation unit (10) stores the comparison results as part of the log data records to be assigned to the relevant operating data and/or context parameter data, to add to same after operation of the hand-held metering device (2) has ended.

Described are exemplary embodiments of a handheld, powered positive displacement pipette having unique mechanisms for the retention, identification and ejection of associated pipette syringes.

Described are exemplary methods for dispensing liquid from a handheld, powered positive displacement pipette.

Described are exemplary embodiments of a syringe identification system for use with a positive displacement pipette, such as a handheld powered positive displacement pipette. An exemplary syringe identification system may include a sensor, such as a color sensor, that is located at or near a distal end of the pipette and arranged such that the sensor is operative to read an identifying marking(s) on a syringe that has been installed to the pipette. The sensor may be a color sensor having an illumination source and configured to read a color code on the syringe. The color code may be usable to identify the syringe to the pipette.

Described are exemplary embodiments of a handheld, powered positive displacement pipette assembly, including a plurality of syringes of different volumes and a powered positive displacement pipette having unique mechanisms for the retention, identification and ejection of said syringes.

A method is described of operating a pipetting system (10) that has a worktable (12), at least one manipulator arm (18), and first and second Z-rods (20,20) arranged on the at least one manipulator arm (18). The method involves receiving by the second Z-rod (20) a tool (24) via an adapter attached to the second Z-rod (20), wherein the tool (24) has a central axis and a working area, the working area being defined by a circle which center is located on the central axis of the tool (24) and which radius being a distance between the central axis and a largest extension of an outline of the tool (24) in a projection.