Pipetting module
First Claim
1. A pipette module comprising:
- a channel block having at least one cylindrical passage extending therethrough;
a rod sized, shaped and aligned to pass into the cylindrical passage;
a cylinder having an axially extending passage therethrough sized, shaped and aligned to pass into the cylindrical passage from the end opposite the end into which the rod passes;
a chamber defined by the channel block, rod, and cylinder, having a volume which is variable, with a first part of the chamber variable by relative movement of the channel block relative to the fixed relative positions of the rod and cylinder, and with a second part of the chamber variable by relative movement of the cylinder relative to the fixed relative positions of the rod and channel block.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air-filled pipette for accurately metering small and large volumes of fluid samples is provided. The pipette has dual resolution capability such that the pipette can accurately aspirate a wide range of sample volumes and deliver them contact-free (touchless). The pipette may include an extension mandrel that reduces air space in a disposable tip within the pipette. The dual resolution capability and/or the extension mandrel a minimize errors associated with the compressibility of air. Multiple pipettes may also be arranged to form a pipetting module for the metering of multiple sample volumes simultaneously and automatically. The pipette includes a channel block having at least one cylindrical passage, that slides up and down over a rod, and a cylinder, with an axially extending passage therethrough, that is sized, shaped and aligned to fit into the cylindrical passage in a dynamic sealing relationship. A method for mixing multiple fluid samples within a pipette tip is also provided.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A pipette module comprising:
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a channel block having at least one cylindrical passage extending therethrough;
a rod sized, shaped and aligned to pass into the cylindrical passage;
a cylinder having an axially extending passage therethrough sized, shaped and aligned to pass into the cylindrical passage from the end opposite the end into which the rod passes;
a chamber defined by the channel block, rod, and cylinder, having a volume which is variable, with a first part of the chamber variable by relative movement of the channel block relative to the fixed relative positions of the rod and cylinder, and with a second part of the chamber variable by relative movement of the cylinder relative to the fixed relative positions of the rod and channel block. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A pipette module comprising:
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a channel block with a plurality of parallel cylindrical passages;
a rod plate, having a plurality of cylindrical rods, sized, shaped, and aligned to pass into corresponding cylindrical passages from the top thereof on vertical relative movement of the channel block or the rod plate;
a cylinder plate, having a plurality of cylinders with axially extending passages therethrough, sized, shaped, and aligned to pass upwardly into the corresponding cylinder passages in the channel block, with the diameter of the rods and cylinders different;
and a plurality of tips having passages therethrough, extending downwardly from the bottoms of the cylinders. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An air-filled pipette for metering volumes of fluid comprising:
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a cylinder with an elongated passageway therethrough;
a channel block concentric with and movable relative to the cylinder and at least in part defining an air-filled chamber at one end of the cylinder, the cylinder having an outer surface at least in part spaced from an inner surface of the channel block;
a rod positioned and longitudinally movable in and out of the channel block, the rod sized and shaped to occupy selected volumes of the chamber;
sealing means forming two ends of the chamber, said sealing means fixed to the inner surface of the channel block and movable relative to either the rod or the cylinder;
a tip having a passageway therethrough, extending downwardly from the bottom of the cylinder; and
an extension mandrel with a passageway extending therethrough, the mandrel attaching to an end of the cylinder, so that the passageway extending through the mandrel is aligned to correspond with the elongated passageway in the cylinder, wherein the mandrel reduces the volume within the tip. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method of metering multiple fluid samples with a pipette having a tip defining a fixed volume, comprising:
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attaching a removable mandrel to a portion of the pipette within the tip, wherein the internal volume of the tip is reduced;
introducing a pipette tip into a reservoir of a fluid sample;
aspirating a quantity of the fluid sample into the pipette tip by increasing the volume of an air-filled chamber within the pipette; and
dispensing the fluid sample out of the pipette tip by decreasing the volume of the air-filled chamber. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for increasing the accuracy of metering a fluid sample with an air-filled pipette comprising:
adding a removable attachment to the tip to reduce the internal volume of a tip, whereby the volume of air that may compress or expand during aspiration is decreased.
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36. A method of mixing multiple fluid samples within a pipette, comprising:
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aspirating a first quantity of a fluid sample into an end of a pipette tip, wherein the pipette tip is sized and shaped such that the cross-sectional area of the tip for receiving fluid, increases in a direction away from the end of the tip;
aspirating a first quantity of air into the pipette tip;
aspirating a second quantity of a fluid sample into the pipette tip;
aspirating a second quantity of air into the pipette tip, wherein the first and second quantities of the fluid sample move farther into the pipette tip, away from the end of the tip, such that the cross-sectional of both the first and the second fluid sample increases, thereby decreasing the thickness of each fluid sample;
wherein the second quantity of air is aspirated into the pipette tip until one of the fluid samples within the pipette becomes membranous and breaks its continuity, thereby mixing with the other fluid sample; and
dispensing the mixed first and second fluid sample from the pipette tip. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A pipette in combination with a removable pipette tip, wherein the pipette comprises:
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a main body portion of the pipette; and
an extension mandrel located at one end of the main body portion of the pipette, wherein the cross-sectional area of the extension mandrel is less than the cross-sectional area of the main body portion of the pipette, such that when a removable pipette tip is secured to the end of the pipette, the extension mandrel fills a volume within the pipette tip that the main body portion of the pipette alone would not be capable of filling. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification