LIQUID HANDLER WITH DUAL PIPETTING GROUPS

• US 20130280145A1
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Young, James E., Roushall, Randy K., West, Daniel, Knorr, David, Subrahmanyan, Kimberly, Fleming, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,103,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/509
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/02 Burettes; Pipettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/006 Details or accessories general details G01F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1076 plurality or independently movable heads
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An automated liquid handling system is disclosed. A system includes a first pipetting group, which includes at least one pipettor, movably arranged on a first arm; and a second pipetting group, which includes at least one pipettor, movably arranged on a second arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are movably arranged on at least one track such that the first arm and the second arm can independently move along the at least one track while keeping the first arm parallel with the second arm, wherein the at least one pipettor of the first pipetting group is arranged on a side of the first arm facing the second pipetting group, wherein the at least one pipettor of the second pipetting group is arranged on a side of the second arm facing the first pipetting group.

Claims

1. A liquid handling system, comprising:

a first pipetting group, comprising at least one pipettor, movably arranged on a first arm, wherein each of the at least one pipettor is independently movable in a Y-axis direction, which is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the first arm, and in a Z-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the Y-axis direction; and

a second pipetting group, comprising at least one pipettor, movably arranged on a second arm, wherein each of the at least one pipettor is independently movable in the Y-axis direction and in a Z-axis direction,

wherein the first arm and the second arm are movably arranged on at least one track such that the first arm and the second arm can independently move along the at least one track in a X-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, while keeping the first arm parallel with the second arm,

wherein the at least one pipettor of the first pipetting group is arranged on a side of the first arm facing the second pipetting group,

wherein the at least one pipettor of the second pipetting group is arranged on a side of the second arm facing the first pipetting group.

2. The liquid handling system of claim 1, wherein the first pipetting group comprises four or eight pipettors.

3. The liquid handling system of claim 2, wherein the second pipetting group comprises four or eight pipettors.

4. The liquid handling system of claim 3, wherein a spacing between neighboring pipettors is 9 mm or less.

5. The liquid handling system of claim 1, further comprising a robotic arm.

6. A method for manufacturing a liquid handling system, comprising:

installing a first arm and a second arm on at least one track in the liquid handling system such that the first arm and the second arm can independently move along the at least one track while keeping the first arm parallel with the second arm;

installing a first pipetting group, comprising at least one pipettor, on the first arm, wherein each of the at least one pipettor is independently movable in a Y-axis direction, which is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the first arm, and in a Z-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the Y-axis direction; and

installing a second pipetting group, comprising at least one pipettor, on the second arm, wherein each of the at least one pipettor is independently movable in the Y-axis direction and in a Z-axis direction,

wherein the at least one pipettor of the first pipetting group is installed on a side of the first arm facing the second pipetting group,

wherein the at least one pipettor of the second pipetting group is installed on a side of the second arm facing the first pipetting group.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first pipetting group comprises four or eight pipettors.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second pipetting group comprises four or eight pipettors.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a spacing between neighboring pipettors is 9 mm or less.