Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Hollow work – internal surface treatment
Patent
1991-02-04
1993-02-16
Stinson, Frankie L.
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Hollow work, internal surface treatment
134 254, 134166R, 134169R, 15302, B08B 304
Patent
active
051867605
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates for a cleaning device for curettes, in particular to clean microtiter plates, comprising charging pipes attached to a pump and to a liquid container in order to feed a cleaning fluid and comprising pipettes in order to suck off the liquid. The invention further relates to a process for cleaning a cuvette, in particular a curette of a microtiter plate which contains an accumulation of cells or a sediment, and the cell accumulation contained therein or sediment contained therein.
STATE OF THE PRIOR ART
In medical laboratory technology, the anti-human globulin test (Coombs test) is applied to detect so-called irregular antibodies. In this process a specific quantity of red blood cells is put into the depression of a filter plate.
Following a centrifugation step, the cells are washed carefully several times in order to remove all serum globulins. Subsequently a so-called Coombs serum is added that reacts with the cells.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The actual measurement is performed in a photometer.
It is clear from the above described example that the washing of the titer plates is an important component of the process of the analysis of the blood samples.
With conventional automatic washers, the cell accumulation was destroyed or rinsed out of the curette during the washing process.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to create a cleaning device and a process, which enable curettes to be washed out and to leave largely uninjured a cell accumulation existing therein. In so doing, the cell accumulation is also supposed to be washed.
The cleaning device according to the invention is characterized by the fact that the cleaning fluid is fed to the curettes drop-by-drop with charging pipes and that the immersion depth of the pipettes into the curettes can be controlled.
The process of the invention provides that a cleaning fluid is released dropwise to the wall of the curette and that this cleaning fluid is sucked off with a pipette, which is inserted deeper into the curette as the liquid level drops.
The charging pipes are oriented in an advantageous manner obliquely relative to the walls of the curette and impinge on the walls. Thus, a drop is prevented from falling directly on the cell accumulation. The distance is chosen in such a manner that the drops drain off continuously on the preferably conical curette wall.
One embodiment of the invention provides that the charging pipes exhibit a passage with a cross sectional expansion shortly before the discharge opening.
The drop formation is promoted by the cross sectional expansion.
Furthermore, it is advantageous to select the material for the charging pipes in such a manner that the material exhibits as large a contact angle as possible (small wetting).
It is provided in an advantageous manner that the cross sectional expansion is about 30% of the diameter of the cylindrical passage.
Another embodiment of the device of the invention provides that the supply line for the cleaning fluid exhibits a passage with variable cross section and that between this passage and the pump a return line leading to the liquid container is attached to the supply line.
The return line is provided in an advantageous manner with an over pressure valve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An embodiment of the invention is described in detail with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings as follows.
FIGS. 1 and 1a show schematically a cleaning device according to the invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical view of a curette with a cell accumulation therein.
FIG. 3 shows a preferred shape of the curette; and
FIG. 4 shows schematically liquid being sucked from the curette.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows only one charging pipe and one curette for suction. The cleaning device according to the invention will be provided in an advantageous manner with a series of pipettes and charging pipes, where the number of charging pipes and pipettes corresponds to the number of curettes in a row of titer
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patent: 3879795 (1975-04-01), Gfeller
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patent: 4106155 (1978-08-01), Fosslien
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patent: 4559664 (1985-12-01), Bohme et al.
patent: 4675053 (1987-06-01), McCarty et al.
patent: 4685480 (1987-08-01), Eck
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patent: 4913179 (1990-04-01), Engel et al.
PCT/US89/03508 Mar./1990 E.P.
SLT Labinstruments Gesellschaft m.b.H.
Stinson Frankie L.
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