United States Patent |
4,199,265 |
Sanderson , et al. |
April 22, 1980 |
Motorless magnetically coupled stirrer plurality of magnetic field generating, electrical coils are preferably arranged in a circle, in one embodiment. Digitally controlled, recurring switching pulses are generated for sequentially defining a plurality of discrete time periods. During each of these time periods, a separate magnetic field is generated responsive to each switching pulse. The pulses are applied to the coil, in turn, for sequentially stepping a magnetic field in a rotary motion about the circle of coils. In other embodiments, the pole pieces may be arranged in another geometry. For example, they could be linearly positioned to slide a stirrer or to lift a stirrer member up a test tube. A substance which is to be stirred is placed in a non-magnetic container positioned within the stepping magnetic field. A stir rod of magnetic material is placed in the container and within the stepping magnetic field, so that the stir rod couples into and rotates or otherwise moves with the rotary magnetic field. The invention is particularly artractive when used with electronic controllers, such as counters, sequences, sensors, electronic controllers, or the like, since it is much easier for such a electronic devices to control digital pulses than to control analog currents.
Inventors: |
Sanderson; Robert A. (Northbrook, IL); Chan; Patrick S. (Skokie, IL) |
Assignee: |
American Hospital Supply Corporation (Evanston, IL) |
Appl. No.: |
955970 |
Filed: |
October 30, 1978 |
Current U.S. Class: |
366/274 |
Intern'l Class: |
B01F 013/08 |
Field of Search: |
366/273,274 310/49 R |
References Cited [Referenced By] <C:netacginph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&f=S&l=50&d=CR80&Query=ref4,199,265>.S. Patent Documents
2641452 <C:netacginph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F2641452>Jun., 1953Wagner366/273. | |||
3268785 <C:netacginph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F3268785>Aug., 1966Gerber et al.310/491. | |||
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