Patent ID: 7628064

Claim:
An ultrasonic test instrument that measures the liquid level in grouped containers comprising: a support frame having an outer housing with a front having an opening; a displaceable platform carrier having a support structure that is adaptable to support a group of containers having a plurality of rows and a plurality of containers in each row such as a test tube rack or a well tray; a first displacement mechanism mounted on the support frame and connected to the displaceable platform carrier wherein a part of the displaceable platform carrier is transported in and out of the opening in the front of the housing in a forward and aft direction on operation of the first displacement mechanism; a displaceable sensor holder having an ultrasonic sensor supported in the holder; a second displacement mechanism mounted on the support frame over the displaceable platform carrier and connected to the displaceable sensor holder wherein the displaceable sensor holder and supported sensor are transported back and forth across the displaceable platform carrier in a back and forth direction on operation of the second displacement mechanism; and, a controller that electronically controls operation of the first displacement mechanism to move the platform carrier a selected distance in a forward or aft direction, that electronically controls operation of the second displacement mechanism to move the displaceable sensor holder a selected distance in the back or forth direction, and that electronically controls the ultrasonic sensor, wherein the sensor is moved over selected containers, such as sample tubes in a tube rack or sample wells in a well tray on the platform carrier for detecting the height of liquid in the tubes or wells.