Liquid portioning method and device
First Claim
1. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a dispensing mechanism including a dispensing device for dripping a sample or a reagent;
an image capturing device for capturing the downward area image;
a movable table capable of supporting, on its upper surface, a target object onto which the sample or reagent is to be dispensed and being moved on a horizontal plane surface for positioning the target object at least at a dispensing position beneath the dispensing device and at an image capturing position beneath the image capturing device;
a monitoring section for displaying the image captured by the image capturing device;
a dispensing position designating section for designating the dispensing position on the target object based on the image of the target object displayed on the monitoring section; and
a dispensing control section for positioning the target object and the dispensing device relative to each other so that the dispensing position on the target object designated by the dispensing position designating section is placed beneath the dispensing device of the dispensing mechanism and for controlling the dispensing operation of the dispensing mechanism.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for dispensing samples or reagents onto a target object are provided. A dispensing position designating section (62) designates the dispensing position on the target object (50), such as a membrane, based on an image of the target object (50) displayed on a monitoring section (60). A dispensing control section (64) positions the target object and the dispensing device relative to each other so that the designated dispensing position on the target object is placed beneath the dispensing device (10) and controls the dispensing operation of the dispensing device (10). A dispensing position information creating section (68) creates dispensing position information about the dispensing position on the target object (50) which is designated by the dispensing position designating section (62) and to which the dispensing operation has been performed and outputs it to the outside.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a dispensing mechanism including a dispensing device for dripping a sample or a reagent;
an image capturing device for capturing the downward area image;
a movable table capable of supporting, on its upper surface, a target object onto which the sample or reagent is to be dispensed and being moved on a horizontal plane surface for positioning the target object at least at a dispensing position beneath the dispensing device and at an image capturing position beneath the image capturing device;
a monitoring section for displaying the image captured by the image capturing device;
a dispensing position designating section for designating the dispensing position on the target object based on the image of the target object displayed on the monitoring section; and
a dispensing control section for positioning the target object and the dispensing device relative to each other so that the dispensing position on the target object designated by the dispensing position designating section is placed beneath the dispensing device of the dispensing mechanism and for controlling the dispensing operation of the dispensing mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 30, 31, 32)
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8. A dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a dispensing mechanism including a detachable dispensing device for dripping a sample or reagent;
an image capturing device for capturing downward area image;
a movable table capable of supporting, on its upper surface, a target object onto which the sample or reagent is to be dispensed and being moved on a horizontal plane surface for positioning the target object at least at a dispensing position beneath the dispensing device and at an image capturing position beneath the image capturing device; and
a calibrating section which, after liquid is dispensed onto a predetermined position on the movable table by the dispensing mechanism, detects the dispensing position based on the image captured by the image capturing device and calibrates the dispensing position based on base points serving as references on the movable table, the base points being captured concurrently with the image. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A position information capturing device comprising:
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an image capturing device for capturing an image of a target object on a table; and
a position information creating section for creating, based on the image captured by the image capturing device, information about a position designated or detected in the image, based on a plurality of reference points serving as references on the target object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 33)
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14. A sample plate comprising:
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a plate-shaped member having a surface onto which a sample or reagent is to be dispensed, the plate-shaped member being provided with, on the surface, a plurality of marks serving as positional references.
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15. A dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a dispensing mechanism including a nozzle for dripping a sample or a reagent;
a movable table capable of supporting, on its upper surface, a target object onto which the sample or reagent is to be dispensed and being moved on a horizontal plane surface for positioning the target object beneath the nozzle; and
an image capturing device placed on a plane surface, within the range of movement of the movable table and mounted at a position above the movable table for preventing contact therewith, wherein the image capturing device photographs the tip end of the nozzle at an angle from above. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 34)
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19. A monitoring method comprising:
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installing an image capturing device obliquely above a nozzle for dripping a sample or a reagent; and
photographing, with the image capturing device, the condition of a liquid drop dripped from the nozzle for monitoring the condition of dispensation.
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20. A dispensing method using a dispensing unit;
- the dispensing unit comprising a piezo chip having a downward opening portion at its discharging portion and being configured to discharge liquid drops from the discharging portion when liquid charged in a space communicated to the discharging portion is pushed by a driving section including a piezo device, a pressure control mechanism for adjusting the pressure of the liquid charged in the space, and an image capturing device for capturing an image of the discharging portion, the method comprising the steps of;
capturing and storing an image of the discharging portion before charging liquid in the space by the image capturing device;
after charging liquid in the space, capturing images of the discharging portion by the image capturing device, determining the differences between these images and the image captured before charging liquid and controlling the pressure control mechanism so that, when liquid exits from the discharging portion, the liquid is retracted until the differences between these images and the image captured before charging liquid is cancelled, in a preparation stage before the start of dispensation operation from the piezo chip. - View Dependent Claims (21)
- the dispensing unit comprising a piezo chip having a downward opening portion at its discharging portion and being configured to discharge liquid drops from the discharging portion when liquid charged in a space communicated to the discharging portion is pushed by a driving section including a piezo device, a pressure control mechanism for adjusting the pressure of the liquid charged in the space, and an image capturing device for capturing an image of the discharging portion, the method comprising the steps of;
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22. A dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a dispensing unit including a piezo chip having a downward opening portion at its discharging portion, the piezo chip being configured to discharge liquid from the discharging portion when liquid charged in a space communicated to the discharging portion is pushed by a driving section including a piezo device, a pressure control mechanism for adjusting the pressure of the liquid charged in the space;
an image capturing device for capturing an image of the discharging portion;
a storing device for storing the image captured by the image capturing device; and
a control device which compares the image of the discharging portion captured before charging liquid in the space and stored in the storing device with images captured after charging liquid in the space and controls the pressure control mechanism so that, when liquid exits from the discharging portion, the liquid is retracted until the differences between the images and the image captured before charging liquid is cancelled. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A dispensing method utilizing a dispensing unit for discharging liquid drops from a discharging portion at its tip end;
- the method comprising the steps of;
acquiring an image of a liquid drop discharged from the discharging portion;
determining the size of the liquid drop based on the captured image; and
adjusting parameters of control signals output to a discharging driving section of the dispensing unit, based on the determined size of the liquid drop, so that the amount of dispensed liquid drop becomes equal to a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
- the method comprising the steps of;
Specification