Air displacement pipetter

• US 20070207062A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Inventors: Sinclair, James E., Emery, Michael P., Vuong, Minh
• Granted Patent: US 7,919,047 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 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0217 of the plunger pump type medical syringes A61M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips

Abstract

An air displacement pipetter comprises a guidance sleeve positioned within a hole in a cylinder block and a piston within a portion of the guidance sleeve a piston penetrating the cylinder block, a spring energized seal disposed within the cylinder block, a seal capture plate contacting the spring energized seal, a carrier plate, a pipette tip attached to the carrier plate, and a manifold plate between said carrier plate and said cylinder block.

Claims

1. An air displacement pipetter comprising:

a guidance sleeve positioned within a hole in a cylinder block; and

a piston positioned within said guidance sleeve.

2. The air displacement pipetter of claim 1, wherein said piston penetrates a seal capture plate.

3. The air displacement pipetter of claim 2 further comprising a spring energized seal contacting both said seal capture plate and said piston.

4. The air displacement pipetter of claim 1, wherein said guidance sleeve comprises a low friction material.

5. The air displacement pipetter of claim 4, wherein said low friction material is nylon.

6. The air displacement pipetter of claim 1, wherein said piston comprises a channel therethrough.

7. The air displacement pipetter of claim 1, wherein said cylinder block hole is substantially cylindrical and said piston is substantially cylindrical and wherein said cylinder block hole has a diameter greater than a diameter of said piston.

8. The air displacement pipetter of claim 3, wherein said seal is disposed within said hole.

9. The air displacement pipetter of claim 2, wherein said seal capture plate comprises at least one hole.

11. The air displacement pipetter of claim 1 further comprising at least one moving plate attached to said piston.

10. The air displacement pipetter of claim 10, wherein said at least one hole is aligned with said hole in said cylinder block.

12. An air displacement pipetter comprising:

a cylinder;

a piston penetrating said cylinder;

a spring energized seal disposed within said cylinder; and

a seal capture plate contacting said spring energized seal.

13. The air displacement pipetter of claim 12, wherein said spring energized seal comprises an exterior surface.

14. The air displacement pipetter of claim 13, wherein said spring energized seal further comprises a preloaded spring.

15. The air displacement pipetter of claim 14, wherein said preloaded spring is disposed within said exterior surface.

16. The air displacement pipetter of claim 15, wherein said spring energized seal is configured in a u-shape.

17. The air displacement pipetter of claim 12, wherein said spring energized seal is captured by said seal capture plate.

18. The air displacement pipetter of claim 12, wherein said piston is positioned in an optimal lateral position by said spring energized seal.

19. The air displacement pipetter of claim 12 further comprising a first movable plate penetrated by said piston.

20. The air displacement pipetter of claim 19, further comprising a gasket disposed on said first moving plate.

21. The air displacement pipetter of claim 20, further comprising a second movable plate penetrated by said piston.

22. The air displacement pipetter of claim 21, wherein said piston is positioned to contact said gasket.

23. The air displacement pipetter of claim 12 further comprising an e-clip disposed within said first moving plate and in contact with said second moving plate.

24. The air displacement pipetter of claim 12 wherein said piston is positioned so as to penetrate said seal capture plate.

25. An air displacement pipetter comprising:

a carrier plate;

a pipette tip attached to said carrier plate; and

a manifold plate between said carrier plate and said pipette tip.

26. The air displacement pipetter of claim 25, wherein openings on said manifold plate couple multiple cylinders and/or pistons to said pipette tip.

27. The air displacement pipetter of claim 25 further comprising at least one compression stop on said carrier plate.

28. The air displacement pipetter of claim 25 further comprising at least one bossed area on said manifold plate.

29. The air displacement pipetter of claim 25 further comprising at least one pipetting tip positioned within a counterbored through hole in said carrier plate.

30. The air displacement pipetter of claim 25 further comprising at least one gasket mat disposed between said manifold plate and said carrier plate.

31. The air displacement pipetter of claim 30, wherein said at least one gasket mat comprises a hole pattern.

32. The air displacement pipetter of claim 30, wherein said at least one gasket mat is configured to provide sealing.

33. The air displacement pipetter of claim 32 further comprising a cylinder block aligned with said carrier plate.

34. The air displacement pipetter of claim 33, wherein said piston is disposed within a hole in said cylinder block.

35. The air displacement pipetter of claim 34, further comprising an upper gasket disposed between said cylinder block and said manifold plate.

36. The air displacement pipetter of claim 34, further comprising a lower gasket disposed between said carrier plate and said manifold plate.

37. The air displacement pipetter of claim 33, wherein said manifold plate is disposed between said cylinder block and said carrier plate.

38. A method of making an air displacement pipetter comprising:

inserting a pipette tip into a carrier plate;

attaching a manifold plate to said carrier plate;

coupling multiple cylinders and/or pistons to said pipette tip.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising placing a gasket mat between said manifold plate and said carrier plate.

40. A method of making an air displacement pipetter comprising:

inserting one or more sleeves into one or more corresponding cylinders of a cylinder block;

inserting one or more seals on top of said sleeves;

inserting one or more pistons into said seals and sleeves;

placing a first plate over an upper portion of said pistons, said first plate containing holes through which said upper portions of said pistons extend;

securing said one or more pistons to said first plate;

placing a second plate over an upper portion of said pistons, said second plate containing holes through which said upper portions of said pistons extend and;

securing said one or more pistons to said second plate.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said pistons are loosely secured to said first plate following said first placing step.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said pistons are tightly secured to both said first and said second plates after said second placing step.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said pistons are loosely secured to said first plate with e-clips.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein said pistons are allowed to float laterally and find their optimal lateral positions relative to said seals.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said pistons are tightly secured to both said first and said second plates after said second placing step.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said securing of said pistons does not disturb said optimal lateral positions of said pistons.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein continuity of a backwash cavity is maintained.