A method for simultaneously performing a plurality of assays

• Main Authors: RAYMOURE, WILLIAM J, PENNINGTON, CHARLES D, SCHRIER, PAUL R, HANCE, ROBERT B, SCHMIDT, LINDA S, SPRONK, ADRIAN M, MCDOWELL, DOUGLAS D, CLEMENS, JOHN M, OLEKSAK, CARL M, MARTIN, RICHARD R, KANEWSKE, WILLIAM J. III, SMITH, JANE B, TAYI, APPARAO, HENDRICK, KENDALL B, CLARK, FREDERICK L, MOORE, LARRY W, RUMBAUGH, WILLIAM D, MERRIAM, RICHARD A, LAGOCKI, PETER A, WALKER, EDNA S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 15.09.2010
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUIDLEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME; MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The invention relates to an automated liquid level sensing system for detecting the presence of liquid in a container, said liquid level sensing system comprising: a vertically oriented, electrically conductive probe positioned above said container; means for vertically moving said probe into and out of said container; a signal source electrically connected to said probe, said signal source energizing said probe with an electrical signal and causing said probe to transmit said electrical signal; a receiving antenna positioned below said container for receiving said transmitted electrical signal; means for analyzing said received electrical signal for indications that said probe has contacted liquid in said container; means for transferring said received electrical signal from said receiving antenna to said analyzing means; and means for indicating that liquid has been detected. Further, the invention also provides for a method for automatically detecting the presence of liquid in a container, said method comprising the steps of: vertically positioning an electrically conductive probe above said container; vertically moving said probe into and out of said container; electrically connecting a signal source to said probe, said signal source energizing said probe with an electrical signal and causing said probe to transmit said electrical signal; positioning a receiving antenna below said container for receiving said transmitted electrical signal; analyzing said received electrical signal for indications that said probe has contacted liquid in said container; transferring said received electrical signal from said receiving antenna to said analyzing means; and indicating that liquid has been detected.