Granted Patent B2

US 12,650,438 · App. 16/614,326 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Inventors: Gregor Bechmann (Hamburg, DE); Steffen Buller (Hamburg, DE); Andreas Graff (Hamburg, DE); Cristoph Jolie (Hamburg, DE); Hauke Maltzen (Hamburg, DE); Sören Mensch (Hamburg, DE); Martin Stranzinger (Hamburg, DE); Lutz Timmann (Hamburg, DE); Wolf Wente (Hamburg, DE); Thomas Uschkureit (Hamburg, DE)

Assignee: EPPENDORF SE

G01N35/00B01L1/00B01L9/523G01N35/00871B01L2200/147B01L2300/023G01N2035/00881

Abstract

Claims (26)

1 . Laboratory instrument for working on laboratory samples, the laboratory instrument being a laboratory incubator, a laboratory sample shaker, a laboratory freezer, an automated pipetting apparatus, or a thermal cycler, and comprising:

a working chamber for housing sample containers containing the laboratory samples, the working chamber having at least one door opening and at least one door member for allowing the user accessing and equipping the working chamber with microtiter plates or with one or more sample containers, the one or more sample containers configured for containing sample volumes of between 5 ml and 100 ml,

a treatment apparatus comprising a heating and/or cooling device being configured to provide at least a predetermined or user defined temperature within the working chamber,

a network interface apparatus for providing a network connection capable of exchanging data for at least one network instrument, when the same is arranged and installed in an installed position inside the working chamber, the network interface apparatus comprising:

a communication apparatus being arranged outside the working chamber and providing the network connection;

a connector apparatus being arranged inside the working chamber and including multiple first connectors mounted to a base body of the connector apparatus, each first connector being mounted in a fixed position relative to the base body and configured for connecting with a network instrument, each first connector being arranged facing the inside of the working chamber and being connected with the communication apparatus for allowing the data exchange; and

a cable device, which connects the multiple first connectors with the communication apparatus;

the laboratory instrument comprising multiple network instruments, wherein each network instrument is located inside the working chamber and removably connected to the network interface apparatus for exchanging data, each network instrument comprising a control apparatus for processing the data, a communication apparatus configured to exchange the data between the control apparatus and the network interface apparatus, and a second connector being removably connected to one of the multiple first connectors of the network interface apparatus,

wherein the working chamber is formed by at least one chamber wall surrounding the inside of the working chamber, and the at least one chamber wall comprises a duct for connecting the multiple first connectors with the communication apparatus, thereby allowing the data exchange along the duct through the at least one chamber wall, the duct being configured to provide a passage for the cable device, and

wherein the connector apparatus comprises a housing insertable into the duct, the housing being configured to protect the cable device inside against temperature, humidity, and contamination from the conditions of the working chamber, thereby sealing the duct.

2 . Laboratory instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the connector apparatus is configured to be releasably mounted to face the inside of the working chamber of the laboratory instrument.

3 . Laboratory instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the connector apparatus comprises at least one mounting member for releasably mounting the connector apparatus to the working chamber of the laboratory instrument.

4 . Laboratory instrument according to claim 1 , wherein at least one first connector is a mechanical connector including at least one conductor for providing an Ohmic contact when mechanically contacted by the conductor of at least one second connector in a contacting position, wherein preferably the at least one first connector is configured to be a blind mate connector by providing at least one self-aligning structure for guiding the relative motion of the at least one first connector and the at least one second connector.

5 . Laboratory instrument network for implementing a workflow related to working on laboratory samples, which comprises at least one laboratory instrument according to any one of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 and at least one network instrument which are connected for allowing a data exchange.

6 . A system for working on laboratory samples, comprising:

a laboratory instrument according to claim 1 ;

wherein at least one of the multiple network instruments comprised by the laboratory instrument is arranged and installed in an installed position inside the working chamber and is removably connected to the network interface apparatus for exchanging data, the at least one network instrument comprising

a control apparatus for processing the data,

a communication apparatus configured to exchange the data with the network interface apparatus, and

a second connector removably connected to one of the multiple first connectors of the network interface apparatus.

7 . System according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one network instrument comprises a base part and an alignment apparatus for providing a movable mechanical link between the second connector and the base part,

wherein the second connector is configured to be a blind mate connector by including a self-aligning structure for guiding the relative motion of the first connector and the second connector.

8 . System according to claim 7 , wherein the alignment apparatus comprises at least one path restricting element, which is configured to allow a relative mobility of the second connector and the base part and to provide a restricted guidance of the second connector and the base part to move along a path defined by the path restricting element, which engages with the second connector for restricting the movement of the second connector to the path.

9 . System according to claim 8 , wherein the self-aligning structure comprises at least one guiding surface, which is part of the first connector and/or the second connector, wherein the alignment of the first and second connector is achieved by a relative motion of the first and second connector guided by the guiding surface.

10 . System according to claim 6 , the at least one network instrument comprising a working apparatus for performing at least one work step related to the laboratory samples and/or which comprises a measurement device, which is configured to measure at least one measurement parameter inside the working chamber.

11 . System according to claim 6 , which is formed to be a shelf for carrying laboratory vessels.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (30)