Device for aspirating and dispensing liquid samples

• US 20020131903A1
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tecan Trading AG (Tecan Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Tecan Trading AG (Tecan Group AG)
• Inventors: Fornito, Stefano, Schmid, Noa, Ingenhoven, Nikolaus
• Granted Patent: US 6,869,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 13/02 for receptacle or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/025 tapping tip on substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0439 ultrasonic vibrations, vibrating piezo elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/022 Capillary pipettes, i.e. having very small bore B01L3/0224 - B01L3/0237 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0241 Drop counters; Drop formers making arrays for combinatorial libraries B01J19/0046; automation of dispensing for analysis G01N35/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/0092 for metering by volume
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1006 Rinsing only the inside of the tip
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1039 Micropipettes, e.g. microcapillary tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/10 Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices G01N35/0099 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A device (1) for aspirating and dispensing liquid samples having a pump (2), which comprises a cylindrical chamber (3), a piston (4) movable in this cylindrical chamber, and a piston drive (5) engaging on the piston. The device additionally comprises a pulse generator (6), which effects dispensing of samples from a liquid by generating pressure waves in this liquid and a tip (8) connected via a line (7) with the cylindrical chamber (3), with the piston drive (5) comprising a first drive (9) and a second drive (10), implemented as a pulse generator (6). Such a device comprises a channel (27) for rinsing or flushing the cylindrical chamber (3), with the channel (27) discharging into the cylindrical chamber (3). Furthermore, the invention also concerns systems with, for example, 384 or more such devices that are arranged in an array.

Claims

1. A device for aspirating and dispensing liquid samples comprising a pump that comprises a cylindrical chamber, a piston movable in this cylindrical chamber and a piston drive that engages the piston, the device further comprising a pulse generator that effects dispensing of samples from a liquid by generating pressure waves in this liquid, and a tip connected to the cylindrical chamber with a line, wherein the piston drive comprises a first drive and a second drive used as the pulse generator, and wherein the device also comprises a channel for flushing or rinsing the cylindrical chamber, and the channel discharges into the cylindrical chamber.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical chamber, piston, line, and tip define a space therebetween that is filled with an essentially coherent liquid column in the presence or absence of an air gap, and the volume of a liquid sample dispensed is determined solely by the parameters of one single pulse generated by the pulse generator.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first drive comprises a first plate movable with a spindle connected thereto and the second drive comprises a second plate connected with the first plate by the pulse generator and engages the piston.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first drive comprises a first plate movable with a spindle connected thereto and the second drive comprises a second plate connected with the first plate by the pulse generator and engages the piston.

5. A device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the cylindrical chamber has a volume of between 5 and 200 μ

l.

6. A device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the pulse generator comprises a reloaded stack of piezoelectric elements.

7. A device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the tip is a disposable tip or needle for pipetting liquids.

8. A system for aspirating and dispensing liquid samples, comprising a plurality of devices according to claims 1, 2, 3 or 4.

9. A system for aspirating and dispensing liquid samples, comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 5.

10. A system for aspirating and dispensing liquid samples, comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 6.

11. A system for aspirating and dispensing liquid samples, comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 7.

12. A system according to claim 8 comprising n pumps, n line, and n tips, a first drive and a second drive having m pulse generators, wherein n is a whole number selected from 8, 96, or 384 and m is a whole number selected from 1, 2, or 3.

13. A system according to claims 9, 10, 11 or 12 comprising n pumps, n line, and n tips, a first drive and a second drive having m pulse generators, wherein n is a whole number selected from 8, 96, or 384 and m is a whole number selected from 1, 2, or 3.

14. A system according to claim 12, comprising an array of pumps and tips arranged in parallel to one another, wherein the array corresponds in layout and format of a microplate having 96, 384, 864, 1536, or more wells.

15. A system according to claim 13, comprising an array of pumps and tips arranged in parallel to one another, wherein the array corresponds in layout and format of a microplate having 96, 384, 864, 1536, or more wells.

16. A system according to claim 8, comprising an array of 96, 384, or more pumps, lines, and tips, arranged in parallel to one another, a first drive, comprising at least three spindles acting on a joint first plate, and a second drive, comprising at least three pulse generators, each having a preloaded stack of piezoelectric elements, with the second drive additionally comprising a second plate connected to the first plate via the three pulse generators and that engages all three pistons simultaneously.

17. A system according claim 9, 10 or 11, comprising an array of 96, 384, or more pumps, lines, and tips, arranged in parallel to one another, a first drive, comprising at least three spindles acting on a joint first plate, and a second drive, comprising at least three pulse generators, each having a preloaded stack of piezoelectric elements, with the second drive additionally comprising a second plate that is connected to the first plate by the three pulse generators and that engage all three pistons simultaneously.

18. A system according to claim 14, comprising an array of 96, 384, or more pumps, lines, and tips, arranged in parallel to one another, a first drive, comprising at least three spindles acting on a joint first plate, and a second drive, comprising at least three pulse generators, each having a preloaded stack of piezoelectric elements, with the second drive additionally comprising a second plate that is connected to the first plate by the three pulse generators and that engage all three pistons simultaneously.

19. A system according to one of the claims 16 or 18 comprising a channel system that discharges into each of the cylindrical chambers.

20. A system according to claim 17, comprising a channel system that discharges into each of the cylindrical chambers.

21. A system according to claim 8, wherein the tips are tip plates (16, 16′

) that can be removed or automatically picked up and discarded.

22. A system according to claim 12, wherein the tips are tip plates (16, 16′

) that can be removed or automatically picked up and discarded.

23. A system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the tips are tip plates (16, 16′

) that can be removed or automatically picked up and discarded.

24. A system according to claim 8, further comprising a computer for controlling the aspiration and dispensing of liquid samples.

25. A system according to claim 9, 10 or 11, further comprising a computer for controlling the aspiration and dispensing of liquid samples.

26. A system according to claim 12, further comprising a computer for controlling the aspiration and dispensing of liquid samples.

27. A system according to claims 13 or 14, further comprising a computer for controlling the aspiration and dispensing of liquid samples.

28. A system according to claim 21, further comprising a computer for controlling the aspiration and dispensing of liquid samples.