US 12,243,639 B2
Liquid handling in automated analyser systems
Thilo Habrich, Bad Wildbad (DE); Harald Tahedl, Wimsheim (DE); and Tobias Wienhold, Karlsruhe (DE)
Assigned to STRATEC SE, Birkenfeld (DE)
Filed by STRATEC SE, Birkenfeld (DE)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/698,232.
Claims priority of application No. 21163409 (EP), filed on Mar. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0301703 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G16H 40/40 (2018.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC G16H 40/40 (2018.01) [G01N 35/1016 (2013.01); G01N 35/00594 (2013.01); G01N 2035/1018 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for determining the quality of a hose in a peristaltic pump of an automated analyser system, comprising the steps of
collecting data of an aspiration process through the hose by
i. measuring the light intensity through the hose during aspiration with an optical sensor;
ii. determining and recording the voltage changes related to changing light intensities measured by the optical sensor;
extracting an aspiration time and determining whether the aspiration process was completed from two sets of data of voltage changes relating to the aspiration time and whether the aspiration process was completed;
determining changes in the two sets of data of voltage changes for the aspiration time and the determination whether the process was completed;
setting a threshold for each set of data of voltage changes for the aspiration time and the time for determining whether the aspiration process was completed for indicating wear of the hose when at least one of the thresholds is exceeded or not reached, respectively;
replacement of the hose based on the wear indication.