SELF-SEALING PIPETTE SEPTUM

• US 20160074866A1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NABsys, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NABsys, Inc.
• Inventors: Almeida, Ryan C., Stokes, Jeffrey H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,583,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1406 Septums, pierceable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0063 Means for alignment of the septum, e.g. septum rim with alignment holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0072 Means for increasing tightness of the septum, e.g. compression rings, special materials, special constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0081 Means for facilitating introduction of a needle in the septum, e.g. guides, special construction of septum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/045 pre-slit to be pierced by blunt instrument
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/561 Tubes; Conduits in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/565 Seals in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/28 Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Qmounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 ; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00

Abstract

A liquid injection port including a liquid input block defining a liquid input conduit; a compression block adapted to mate with the liquid input block; and a septum including a deformable material mounted in a septum retainer, the septum defining a central perforation, and forming a seal between the liquid input block and the compression block. The septum defines a conical deformation toward the liquid input conduit. A method for delivering fluid from a pipette tip includes a) introducing the fluid into the pipette tip; b) inserting the pipette tip into a pipette conduit defined by a compression block; c) inserting the pipette tip through a septum mounted in the compression block; and d) releasing the fluid in the pipette tip into a liquid input conduit defined in a liquid input block, the septum defining a conical deformation toward the liquid input conduit while maintaining a seal.

Claims

1. A liquid injection port for a liquid processing device, the liquid injection port comprising:

a) a liquid input block defining a liquid input conduit;

b) a compression block adapted to mate with a top surface of the liquid input block, the compression block defining

i) a pipette conduit therethrough aligned with the liquid input conduit; and

ii) a septum retainer having an internal diameter; and

c) a septum mounted in the septum retainer, the septum comprising a deformable material and including a central perforation therethrough to allow a fluid to be introduced across the perforation

wherein

i) the septum forms a seal between the liquid input block and the compression block, and

ii) when mounted in the septum retainer, the septum defines, at the central perforation, a conical deformation toward the liquid input conduit while maintaining a seal between the liquid input conduit and the pipette conduit.

2. The liquid injection port of claim 1, wherein the septum has a diameter larger than the internal diameter of the septum retainer, and the central perforation is defined without removal of the deformable material from the septum retainer.

3. The liquid injection port of claim 1, wherein the deformability of the septum and the definition of the central perforation without removal of material enable a pipette tip to pass through the septum to allow introduction of a liquid into the liquid input conduit while maintaining a seal between the pipette tip and sidewalls of the central perforation.

4. The liquid injection port of claim 1, wherein the deformable material comprises an elastomeric material.

5. The liquid injection port of claim 4, wherein the deformable material comprises silicone.

6. The liquid injection port of claim 1, further comprising a pressurized fluid source, in fluidic communication with a backside of the septum.

7. The liquid injection port of claim 6, wherein the pressurized fluid source is adapted to deliver up to 100 psi of a pressurized fluid to the backside of the septum.

8. The liquid injection port of claim 6, wherein the pressurized fluid source is adapted to deliver a pressurized fluid selected from the group consisting of compressed air, helium, nitrogen, argon, and water to the backside of the septum.

9. A method for delivering a fluid from a pipette tip, the method comprising the steps of:

a) introducing the fluid into the pipette tip;

b) inserting the pipette tip into a pipette conduit defined by a compression block;

c) inserting the pipette tip through a central perforation defined by a septum mounted in a bottom portion of the compression block; and

d) releasing the fluid in the pipette tip into a liquid input conduit defined in a liquid input block, the liquid input conduit being aligned with the pipette conduit,

wherein the septum defines, at the central perforation, a conical deformation toward the liquid input conduit while maintaining a seal between the liquid input conduit and the pipette conduit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the pipette tip forms a seal with the perforation when inserted through the perforation.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, after releasing the fluid, withdrawing the pipette tip from the perforation, wherein the perforation heals after the pipette tip is withdrawn.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

(i) withdrawing the pipette tip from the perforation after releasing the fluid; and

(ii) repeating steps a-d.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein repeating steps a-d comprises using a second pipette tip.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

delivering a pressurized fluid to a backside of the septum to facilitate movement of the fluid into the liquid input conduit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pressurized fluid is selected from the group consisting of compressed air, helium, nitrogen, argon, and water.