Cleanable volume displacement pipetter

• US 20050235762A1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Inventors: Sinclair, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,077,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/864.10
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 13/02 for receptacle or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0633 with moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0217 of the plunger pump type medical syringes A61M
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1006 Rinsing only the inside of the tip
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1074 arranged in a two-dimensional array

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a volume displacement pipette that includes a channel within the piston. The channel allows for cleaning fluids to be continuously run through the pipette tip for cleaning the tip. One end of the channel may be closed during normal operation of the pipette. Multiple pipettes may be combined into an array pipetter.

Claims

1. A pipette comprising:

a piston barrel coupled to a fluid dispenser/aspirator;

a piston disposed within said barrel; and

a cleaning channel having a first end in fluid communication with said fluid dispensor/aspirator and a second end in fluid communication with a source of cleaning fluid.

2. The pipette of claim 1 further comprising a valve configured to open and close said cleaning channel to said source of cleaning fluid, wherein when said valve is closed, movement of the piston operates to draw fluid in or expel fluid out of the fluid dispenser/aspirator, and wherein when said valve is open, cleaning fluid flows from said source of cleaning fluid to said fluid dispenser/aspirator through said cleaning channel.

3. The pipette of claim 2 wherein said cleaning channel runs through said piston.

4. The pipette of claim 3 additionally comprising a flexible membrane disposed adjacent to said second end.

5. The pipette of claim 4 wherein said valve is closed by increasing pressure on said flexible membrane.

6. The pipette of claim 4 wherein said valve is opened by reducing pressure on said flexible membrane.

7. The pipette of claim 1 wherein said cleaning fluid operates to clean said fluid dispenser/aspirator.

8. The pipette of claim 1 wherein said cleaning fluid operates to dry said fluid dispenser/aspirator.

9. The pipette of claim 2 wherein when cleaning fluid flows from said source of cleaning fluid to said fluid dispenser/aspirator, said piston is positioned to fill said piston barrel such that cleaning fluid does not contact the surfaces of said piston barrel.

10. The pipette of claim 1 wherein said piston barrel and said piston are cylindrical in shape.

11. The pipette of claim 1 wherein said cleaning channel is cylindrical in shape.

12. An array pipetter comprising a plurality of pipettes according to claim 1.

13. The array pipetter of claim 12 wherein said cleaning channel runs through said piston.

14. The array pipetter of claim 13 further comprising a flexible membrane disposed adjacent to all of said second ends.

15. The array pipetter of claim 14 wherein pressure is applied to said opposite side of said flexible membrane to create a seal over all of said second ends.

16. The array pipetter of claim 14 wherein pressure is applied to said opposite side of said flexible membrane to create a seal over less than all of said second ends.

17. The array pipetter of claim 14 wherein pressure is reduced on said opposite side of said flexible membrane to prevent a seal from forming over all of said second ends.

18. The array pipetter of claim 14 wherein pressure is reduced on said opposite side of said flexible membrane to prevent a seal from forming over less than all of said second ends.

19. The array pipetter of claim 17 wherein said cleaning channels are in fluid communication with each other.

20. The array pipetter of claim 19 wherein cleaning fluid flows from said source of cleaning fluid to all of said fluid dispenser/aspirators through said cleaning channels.

21. The array pipetter of claim 20 wherein flow resistance through said cleaning channels varies such that flow rate through each of said cleaning channels is substantially the same.

22. The array pipetter of claim 21 wherein flow resistance is varied by varying the diameter of each of said cleaning channels relative to each other.

23. The array pipetter of claim 12 wherein said plurality of pipettes are arranged in an 8 by 12 array.

24. The array pipetter of claim 12 wherein said plurality of pipettes are arranged in an 16 by 24 array.

25. A pipette comprising a piston barrel and a piston, said piston comprising a channel extending along its length.

26. The pipette of claim 25 wherein the channel runs substantially through the center of said piston along its longitudinal axis.

27. A method of cleaning a pipette comprising a barrel and a piston, the method comprising flushing a cleaning fluid through a channel disposed within said piston.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said cleaning fluid is a liquid.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein said cleaning fluid is a gas.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein after flowing through said channel, said cleaning fluid flows through and cleans a fluid dispense/aspirator coupled to said piston barrel.