Pipetting device

Measuring and testing – Sampler – sample handling – etc. – Capture device

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Details

G01N 114

Patent

active

051934035

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the filed of analytical laboratory equipment and relates to a dosing device with a plurality of simultaneously operable dosing pumps, preferably pipettes, which are operated with a piston or plunger.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The automation of dosing processes requires dosing pumps which are particularly suitable for automation and of which hitherto a central position has been occupied by piston or plunger dosers. However, hose squeezing pumps have also been used for dosing purposes, together with displaceable dosing channels with which part of the liquid column can be separated. All these dosing pumps are used in arrangements comprising several of them so as, .e.g., to be able to simultaneously take up and/or supply a plurality of identical volumes. Frequently the pump has to be washed out and filled with another liquid, which requires the use of valves enabling these processes to be controlled and automated.
However, this involves a larger number of simultaneously operating dosing pumps to be used in an arrangement with a minimum amount of space available requiring a large number of parts all acting within a small area. An example is the loading or charging of a microtitre or microtest plate (MTP).
The MTP has been established as an industrial standard in clinical routine diagnosis and in research. It is generally a plastic disposable article with 96 depressions or cavities, which can be used in place of small test tubes for receiving test reagents. The 96 cavities are arranged in a rectangular matrix of 120.times.80 mm and are spaced by only 9 mm from one another. As a function of the geometry of the ,cavities a MTP is suitable for receiving a few microlitres and up to as much as approximately 1 milliter. Thus, the function of automatic dosing is to simultaneously deal with these 96 cavities, which requires 96 dosing pumps with their valves.
For manipulating reagents in connection with microtest plates e.g. multichannel pipettes (8 or 12) or automatic pipetting devices (8 or 12) are known. However, such devices have a capacity limit, which leaves much to be desired. The problem is how is it possible to supply and/or remove liquids with respect to a microtitre plate more rapidly than hitherto and with great accuracy.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for delivering liquids to an extracting liquids from a microtitre plate automatically, quickly and with great accuracy.
Briefly described, the invention comprises an apparatus for dosing liquid comprising a plurality of pipettes each having a piston and a piston rod for operating the piston and a first motor drive coupled to the piston rods for reciprocally driving the rods parallel with a first, preferably vertical, axis. A carrier plate supports the plurality of pipettes with an outlet of each pipette exposed at a surface of the carrier plate. A stationary valve plate has a second surface facing, generally parallel with an adjacent to the first surface of the carrier plate, the valve plate having an arrangement of channels for conveying fluid to and from the pipette outlets, the channels including a plurality of channel openings at the second surface. A second motor drive is coupled to the carrier plate for positioning the carrier plate relative to the valve plate. Each pipette outlet is independently urged into sealing contact with the valve plate so that substantially leak-free connections are formed between the pipette outlets and the channel openings.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to non-limitative embodiments shown in and the attached drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is disemplified schematic view of a device according to the invention in a first operative position;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the device of FIG. 1 in a second operative position;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the device of FIG. 1 in a third operative position;
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a structure

REFERENCES:
patent: 720492 (1903-02-01), Sedberry
patent: 2172575 (1932-09-01), Caulfield
patent: 3184122 (1965-05-01), Nerenberg
patent: 3572552 (1971-03-01), Guinn
patent: 3712794 (1973-01-01), Farr
patent: 3754863 (1973-08-01), Reunanen
patent: 4091677 (1978-05-01), Oshikubo
patent: 4106911 (1978-08-01), Marcelli
patent: 4158035 (1979-06-01), Haase et al.
patent: 4494677 (1985-01-01), Falcoff
patent: 4532805 (1985-08-01), Flesher
patent: 4621665 (1986-11-01), Webb
patent: 4640297 (1987-02-01), Bates
patent: 5021217 (1991-06-01), Oshikubo

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