Syringe pump

• US 20050036919A1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steve J. Hodson
• Original Assignee: Steve J. Hodson
• Inventors: Hodson, Steve J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,311,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/027 Digital display, e.g. LCD, LED
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0627 Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0227 Details of motor drive means B01L3/0231, B01L3/0234 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/02 the means being mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The invention is directed to a syringe pump for the controlled addition of reagents to a chemical reaction. The pump has a reduced size for use as a cordless, hand-held laboratory device, and includes a driving mechanism for moving the plunger of a syringe along the syringe barrel, a means for sensing a physical property of the reaction mixture, and a logic control circuit. The driving mechanism includes a motor, a drive shaft, a drive block, and a sliding barrel clamp. The logic control circuit is programmable and controls the syringe pump based on predetermined parameters. The syringe pump adapts the delivery rate of reagent according to changes in physical properties of the reaction mixture such as pH and/or temperature, thus providing a high degree of automated control over a chemical reaction.

Claims

1. A syringe pump for the controlled addition of chemical reagent to a chemical reaction mixture, the syringe pump comprising:

a means for securing a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel;

a means for moving the plunger along the barrel;

a means for sensing a physical property of the reaction mixture; and

a logic control circuit operable to receive input signals from the means for sensing a physical property,

the logic control circuit being programmable to control the means for moving the plunger such that the plunger is moved along the barrel of the syringe at a predetermined rate to expel chemical reagent loaded within the syringe barrel, the rate being alterable by the logic control circuit according to the input signals received from the means for sensing a physical property.

2. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the physical property sensed by the means for sensing a physical property of the reaction mixture is selected from the group consisting of temperature, oxygen content, pH, chloride ion content, chlorate ion content, perchlorate ion content, fluoride ion content, sodium ion content, calcium ion content, and iron ion content.

3. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises a keypad having control buttons for programming the logic control circuit.

4. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for moving the plunger comprises a motor, at least one externally screw-threaded drive shaft, and a drive block, the at least one drive shaft being connected at one end thereof to the motor such that, in use, the motor rotates the at least one drive shaft about its axis, the drive block being driveably mounted for sliding movement on the at least one drive shaft and in engagement with the external screw-threading thereof, the drive block operable to actuate the plunger of the syringe.

5. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for securing the syringe comprises a sliding barrel clamp for holding the barrel of the syringe in position on the syringe pump, the barrel clamp including at least one adjustment knob to allow the barrel clamp accommodate the size of the barrel.

6. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises a display system operated by the logic control circuit to display parameters relating to the operating conditions of the syringe pump.

7. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises a manual control switch for manual actuation of the plunger.

8. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises a check valve for delivering multiple syringe volumes to the reaction mixture over time.

9. A syringe pump adapted to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel, the pump comprising:

a syringe driving mechanism including a motor, at least one drive shaft, a drive block, and a manual control switch;

a logic control circuit operable to control the syringe driving mechanism;

a barrel clamp adapted to secure the barrel of the syringe; and

at least one data input jack adapted to receive a plug-in probe, the at least one drive shaft being externally screw-threaded and connected at one end thereof to the motor so that, in use, the motor can rotate the at least one drive shaft about its axis, the drive block being driveably mounted on the at least one drive shaft in engagement with the external screw-thread thereof and operable to actuate the plunger of the syringe such that the plunger is moved along the barrel of the syringe at a predetermined rate, the at least one jack operable to relay input signals generated by the plug-in probe to the logic control circuit, the logic control circuit operable to process the input signals and adjust the rate according to the input signals, the manual control switch adapted to override the logic control circuit and allow manual actuation of the plunger, wherein the syringe pump can control the addition of a chemical reagent to a chemical reaction mixture.

10. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 9, further including a display system and a keypad having control buttons, the display system operable to display parameters relating to operating conditions of the syringe pump, the control buttons adapted to input operating commands to the logic control circuit.

11. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 9, wherein the input signals generated by the plug-in probe relate to physical properties of the reaction mixture, the physical properties selected from the group consisting of temperature, oxygen content, pH, chloride ion content, chlorate ion content, perchlorate ion content, fluoride ion content, sodium ion content, calcium ion content, and iron ion content.

12. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 11, wherein there are first and second data input jacks, the first data input jack adapted to receive a plug-in probe generating input signals relating to temperature, the second data input jack adapted to receive a plug-in probe generating input signals relating to pH.

13. A syringe pump adapted to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel, the pump comprising:

a head portion including a motor, a logic control circuit, a keypad having control buttons, and at least one data input jack, the control buttons adapted to input operating commands to the logic control circuit, the at least one jack adapted to receive a plug-in probe and operable to relay input signals generated by the plug-in probe to the logic control circuit, the logic control circuit operable to process the input signals and the operating commands and to control the motor according to preset parameters;

a body portion including at least one drive shaft, a drive block, and a manual control switch, the at least one drive shaft being externally screw-threaded and connected at one end thereof to the motor so that, in use, the motor can rotate the at least one drive shaft about its axis, the drive block being driveably mounted on the at least one drive shaft in engagement with the external screw-thread thereof and operable to actuate the plunger of the syringe, the manual control switch adapted to allow the user to manually actuate the plunger; and

a base portion including a barrel clamp adapted to secure the barrel of the syringe,

wherein the syringe pump can be programmed by a user via the control buttons to control the addition of reagents to a chemical reaction mixture according to changes in the reaction mixture over time.

14. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 13, wherein the input signals relate to physical properties of the reaction mixture, the physical properties being selected from the group consisting of temperature, oxygen content, pH, chloride ion content, chlorate ion content, perchlorate ion content, fluoride ion content, sodium ion content, calcium ion content, and iron ion content.

15. A syringe pump as claimed in claim 13, wherein the head portion further includes a display system operable to visually display parameters relating to operating conditions of the syringe pump.