Patent · US Expired

Cell detection mechanism

US6412340B1 · kind B1 · utility

10Cited by
14References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 7, 2000
Grant dateJul 2, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 7, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B5/285
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A cassette sensing mechanism and a method for detecting the unevenness of a surface by detecting the difference between two paths on the surface. The mechanism contains two pawls connected to a connector at one end. The second end of one pawl contacts a portion of one path on the surface, and the second end of the other pawl contacts a portion of the other path on the surface. One path is smooth, and the other path contains grooves. A sensor on one pawl senses the relative position of the other pawl. The unevenness of the surface can be detected by monitoring the relative positions of the two pawls as the two pawls travel along the two paths. The sensing mechanism may be used for monitoring the position on a cassette in a sterilization system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.