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  Resonant shakingUSPTO Application #: 20070280036Title: Resonant shaking Abstract: A resonant shaker includes a support tray for supporting a target carrier. A sensor generates an electrical signal that is related to an acceleration of the support tray. A linear drive motor includes an armature that is coupled to the support tray. The linear drive motor provides an oscillating drive force to the support tray in response to a drive current applied to the linear drive motor. The resonant shaker also includes a controller. The controller receives the electrical signal from the sensor and a drive signal that is related to the drive current. The controller transmits a modified drive current to the linear drive motor in response to a predetermined phase relationship between the electrical signal and the drive signal. (end of abstract)
Agent: Fish & Richardson PC - Minneapolis, MN, US Inventor: Ricardo F. Carreras USPTO Applicaton #: 20070280036 - Class: 366116000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Agitating, By Vibration, With Amplitude Or Frequency Regulator The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070280036. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/063,367, filed Feb. 23, 2005. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of and is incorporated by reference in the disclosure of this application. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Processing materials, such as biological materials or chemical materials often requires the mixing of these materials within a container. The container can be a test tube or beaker, for example. A rack that supports multiple containers is sometimes used when mixing batches of materials. Mixing can be achieved by shaking the container or by using a stirring rod or impeller immersed in the material. Some mixers use a coated magnet placed inside the container. The coated magnet is magnetically driven in a rotary motion to mix the contents of the container. Non-invasive mixers, such as shakers, can be advantageous because they do not introduce stirrers, mixing blades, or other mechanical devices into direct contact with the materials to be mixed, thus avoiding potential contamination of those materials by the blades or other mechanical devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] In one aspect, the invention is embodied in a resonant shaker. The resonant shaker includes a support tray for supporting a target carrier. A sensor generates an electrical signal that is related to an acceleration of the support tray. The sensor can be attached to the support tray. A linear drive motor includes an armature that is coupled to the support tray. The linear drive motor provides an oscillating drive force to the support tray in response to a drive current applied to the linear drive motor. The resonant shaker also includes a controller. The controller receives the electrical signal from the sensor and a drive signal that is related to the drive current. The controller transmits a modified drive current to the linear drive motor in response to a predetermined phase relationship between the electrical signal and the drive signal. [0004] The linear drive motor can provide a reciprocating motion to the support tray. The target carrier can be a bioreactor chamber. Alternatively, the support tray can be integrated with a bioreactor. The target carrier can be a beaker, a test tube, and a multiple tube rack. The target carrier can contain a specimen including a chemical material, a biological material, a cell culture, a tissue, and a tissue construct. The specimen can include a particulate substance, a slurry, and a fluid. [0005] The armature of the linear drive motor can be coupled to the support tray through an elastic element. In this configuration, the predetermined phase relationship is an absolute value of a difference in phase between the electrical signal and the drive signal of substantially ninety-degrees. Alternatively, the armature can be coupled to the support tray through a rigid coupling. An elastic element can be coupled between the support tray and a housing of the linear drive motor. In this configuration, the predetermined phase relationship is an absolute value of a difference in phase between the electrical signal and the drive signal of substantially zero-degrees. [0006] In one configuration, the desired shaking frequency of the specimen causes the combination at least two materials. In one configuration, the desired shaking frequency of the specimen causes the separation of at least two materials. The desired shaking frequency can be a resonant frequency of movable elements of the resonant shaker. [0007] The elastic element can be a grommet, a torsional spring, a coil spring, a leaf spring, a disc spring, an elliptical spring, a helical spring, an air spring, or a cantilever spring. [0008] In one aspect, the controller controls at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of an oscillation of the armature of the linear drive motor. An amplitude of a modified drive current applied to the linear drive motor displaces the armature of the linear drive motor by a predetermined amount. A phase detector can be integrated with the controller. [0009] The controller can adjust a frequency of the drive current in response to the predetermined phase relationship between the electrical signal and the drive signal. The controller can modify at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of viscosity of the specimen. [0010] The sensor can be attached to the support tray, the armature, or the target carrier. The sensor can be a position sensor, a velocity sensor, a jerk sensor, or an accelerometer. In addition to acceleration, the electrical signal from the sensor can be related to at least one of a displacement of the support tray, a velocity of the support tray, and a jerk of the support tray. The sensor can be an optical sensor. [0011] In another aspect, the invention is embodied in a method of shaking using a resonant shaker. The method includes oscillating a support tray of the resonant shaker with a linear drive motor that is driven by a drive current and generating a drive signal that is related to the drive current. The method further includes generating an electrical signal that is related to an acceleration of the support tray. The drive current is modified in response to a predetermined phase relationship between the electrical signal and the drive signal to generate a modified drive current. The linear drive motor is driven with the modified drive current to oscillate the support tray. The support tray can be oscillated at a resonant frequency of the system. The method can further include loading a target carrier containing the specimen onto the support tray of the resonant shaker. [0012] The modified drive current can control an amplitude of an oscillation and/or a frequency of an oscillation of the support tray. The support tray can be displaced by a predetermined amount. [0013] The support tray can be coupled to the linear drive motor through an elastic element. In this configuration, the predetermined phase relationship is an absolute value of a difference in phase between the electrical signal and the drive signal of substantially ninety-degrees. Alternatively, the support tray can be coupled to the linear drive motor through a rigid coupling. An elastic element can be coupled between the support tray and a housing of the linear drive motor. In this configuration, the predetermined phase relationship is an absolute value of a difference in phase between the electrical signal and the drive signal of substantially zero-degrees. [0014] The desired shaking frequency can be a resonant frequency of movable elements of the resonant shaker. Modifying the drive current can include adjusting a frequency of the drive current in response to the predetermined phase relationship between the electrical signal and the drive signal. [0015] Modifying the drive current can include adjusting at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of viscosity of the specimen. Additionally, modifying the drive current can include adjusting at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of a PH value of the specimen. Modifying the drive current can include adjusting at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of temperature of the specimen. [0016] In addition, modifying the drive current can include adjusting at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of turbulence of the specimen. Modifying the drive current can include adjusting at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of conductivity of the specimen. In addition, modifying the drive current can include adjusting at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of resistivity of the specimen. Modifying the drive current can include adjusting at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the drive current based on a measure of chemical composition of the specimen. [0017] In another aspect, the resonant shaker can include a support tray for supporting a target carrier. A linear drive motor includes an armature that is coupled to the support tray. The linear drive motor provides an oscillating drive force to the support tray in response to a drive current applied to the linear drive motor. A controller is electrically coupled to the linear drive motor. The controller receives a signal that is indicative of a measured parameter of the linear drive motor. The controller transmits a modified drive current to the linear drive motor in response to the signal. [0018] The measured parameter can include an input impedance of the linear drive motor. The measured parameter can also include at least one of an input current, input power, or input voltage to the linear drive motor. The measured parameter can include at least one of a displacement, a velocity, an acceleration, and a jerk of the armature of the linear drive motor. [0019] A sensor can be coupled to the support tray. The target carrier can contain a specimen that is chosen from the group comprising a chemical material, a biological material, a cell culture, a tissue, and a tissue construct. The target carrier can contain a specimen that is chosen from the group comprising a particulate substance, a slurry, and a fluid. In one embodiment, a frequency of oscillation of the support tray causes the combination at least two materials. In one embodiment, a frequency of oscillation of the support tray causes the separation of at least two materials. [0020] The armature can be coupled to the support tray through an elastic element. Alternatively, the armature can be coupled to the support tray through a rigid coupler. In this configuration, an elastic element is coupled between the support tray and a housing of the linear drive motor. The controller can control at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of an oscillation of the armature of the linear drive motor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system for shaking a specimen according to the invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Resonant shaking Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Resonant shaking patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Resonant shaking or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Concrete agitating drum driving Next Patent Application: Rod mixer comprising a plate support Industry Class: Agitating ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Resonant shaking patent info. 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