CONTINUAL FLOW PIN WASHER

• US 20120000493A1
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aushon BiosyStems, Inc. (Quanterix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aushon BiosyStems, Inc. (Quanterix Corporation)
• Inventors: Bukys, Albert, Honkanen, Peter, Bradbury, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 8,246,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/34
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 13/02 for receptacle or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0244 using pins
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/04 Cleaning involving contact with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/17 Cleaning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1037 Using surface tension, e.g. pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices

Abstract

A multi-chambered deposition pin wash station is provided. The wash station includes a lower chamber and an upper drain basin connected by a plurality of wash tubes. Cleaning fluid is provided to the lower chamber and passes through the cleaning tubes into the upper drain basin. The cleaning tubes are adapted to clean a single deposition pin with a single tube per wash cycle.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a plurality of deposition pins in a system with a lower chamber;

a drain basin;

a plurality of cleaning tubes, each cleaning tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, each tube inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, each tube outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin, and each tube outlet end adapted to receive at least a portion of one of the deposition pins; and

a vent tube, the vent tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being disposed in and in fluid communication with the lower chamber, the terminus of the vent tube inlet end being above the level of the cleaning tube inlet ends relative to a substantially horizontal reference plane, and the outlet end being in direct fluid communication with the drain basin, the method comprising;

providing a cleaning fluid into the lower chamber to a level above the outlet ends of each cleaning tube so that vapor within the lower chamber is displaced by the cleaning fluid, and continuing to provide the cleaning fluid so that vapor remaining in the lower chamber is compressed and the cleaning fluid flows upward through the cleaning tubes; and

disposing at least a portion of a single one of the deposition pins in the tube outlet end of one of the cleaning tubes while the cleaning fluid flows through the cleaning tubes so that the pin is washed within the tube.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of cleaning tubes includes a flow restriction feature and the disposing the deposition pin in the tube outlet end includes disposing a terminus of the deposition pin within the flow restriction feature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tube outlet ends are arranged in rows, and further comprising:

disposing a first row of deposition pins in a row of tube outlet ends, each tube outlet end of the row receiving no more than one deposition pin of the first row of deposition pins;

removing the first row of deposition pins from the row of tube outlet ends; and

subsequent to removing the first row of deposition pins from the row of tube outlet ends, disposing a second row of deposition pins in the row of tube outlet ends, each tube outlet end of the row receiving no more than one deposition pin of the second row of deposition pins.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of pins are disposed in a plurality of tubes on a one-for-one basis, and wherein the tube outlet ends are above a level of cleaning fluid such that each of the plurality of pins is washed within a respective cleaning tube, and wherein the cleaning fluid passes each tube and exits at outlet ends such that the fluid that cleans a first pin is drained and does not come into fluid contact with a second pin.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vent tube outlet end includes a portion directed away from the cleaning tube outlet ends.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vent tube outlet end includes a surface tension reduction feature disposed within the vent tube for reducing surface tension of fluid within the vent tube.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially horizontal reference plane corresponds to a level of a cleaning fluid in the lower chamber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of cleaning tube outlet ends has a fluid surface tension reduction feature.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the flow restriction feature is a swage in at least a portion of the cleaning tube.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the flow restriction feature includes a narrowing insert within at least a portion of the cleaning tube.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein an inner surface of the flow restriction feature includes a surface treatment that generates at least one of rotation and turbulence in a cleaning fluid flowing through the flow restriction feature.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the surface tension reduction feature includes a wire disposed within the vent tube.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the surface tension reduction feature is a notch in a lip of at least one of the tube outlet ends.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the surface tension reduction feature includes a surface finish on an outside surface of at least one of the tube outlet ends.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the surface finish includes at least one of a bead blasting treatment, a grit blasting treatment, a hydrophilic treatment, and a hydrophobic treatment.