Apparatus and method for a highly parallel pipetter
US5540889A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N35/1065
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An actuator operates an upper plate assembly which holds a plurality of metal rods, such that all the rods are moved together along parallel longitudinal axes into respective tubes. The plurality of tubes is held by a lower plate assembly, a different tube for each rod. Liquid (sample fluid) is drawn into the individual tubes by the actuator raising the upper plate assembly with respect to the lower plate assembly and hence causing the rods to simultaneously traverse the length of the respective tubes from the distal ends of the tubes to the proximal ends of the tubes. The collected liquid is dispensed by the actuator lowering the upper plate assembly such that the metal rods are simultaneously lowered into the corresponding tubes. The rods are lowered very rapidly and stopped abruptly. This imparts sufficient velocity to the collected sample fluid within the tubes such that the samples under inertia separate from and cleanly exit the distal ends of the tubes. As such, low volume (microvolume) dispenses are enabled in a manner free of sample contact with the target (receiving) tray.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.