Methods and apparatus for processing liquids

US5316954A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hewlett-Packard Company, L.P. · US

Inventors

• Klaus-Peter Hupe · Baden-Baden, DE
• Fred Strohmeier · Bühl, DE
• Hans-Peter Zimmermann · Waldbronn, DE
• Werner Eberhardt · Leichlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 5, 1992
• Grant date: May 31, 1994
• Expiry date: Nov 5, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/111666
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for processing liquids are provided. The apparatus include open-ended, hollow reactor compartments which are detachably connected to receptor ends of tube systems. In preferred embodiments, a portion of the tube system is fixed to a rotor arm which can be rotated in a circle and moved up and down. Another portion of the tube system is coupled to a metering syringe which serves for drawing in or ejecting fluids into or from the reactor compartment and/or the tube system. A plurality of process stations such as bottles containing reagents or solvents can be arranged on a circular tray such that they can be accessed by the reactor compartment or by the receptor end if the reactor compartment has been detached from the tube system. The invention can be used, for example, for automatic protein sequencing, whereby the proteins to be sequenced are held in place by a matrix in the reactor compartment.