Multiple trough vessel for automated liquid handling apparatus

• US 4,554,839 A
• Filed: 10/14/1983
• Issued: 11/26/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cetus Corporation (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Cetus Corporation (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Hewett, Gary E., Wennberg, Timothy J., Atwood, Brian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SPITZER, ROBERT H
• Application Number:
  US06/542,114
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 73/863.32, 73/864.16, 73/864.17, 73/864.22, 73/864.24, 73/864.25, 73/864.14, 422/65, 422/100
• US Class Current: 73/864.16
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates

Abstract

Apparatus for accurately transferring liquids for filling or diluting microliter quantities of regents, analytes or cells for bioassays and the like include a vessel having a plurality of troughs for supplying an array of pipettes to effect the transfer. The vessel is automatically indexable on a horizontal table to bring a selected trough into register with vertical movement of the pipette tips. The table is then indexed to bring the tips into alignment with a plurality of microtiter tray wells. In a preferred form the troughs are of different widths to supply differing quantities of liquid to the pipettes for transfer.

Claims

1. In a machine for automatically transferring at least a portion of a liquid supply to one row of wells to fill or mix with liquid samples in said one row or with another row of wells which includes:

a head assembly translatable between upper and lower positions along a vertical axis;

means for moving said head assembly along said vertical axis; and

a plunger assembly mounted on said head assembly for movement therewith, said plunger assembly including a row of pipette nozzles, each having a depending end to receive a tip, a row of plungers respectively disposed within said pipette nozzle, and means for moving said plungers within said pipette nozzles to vary their internal volumes to aspirate liquid into or discharge liquid from said tips,

the combination of a table mounted beneath said head for translation along a horizontal bed, said table having a plurality of work stations spaced along said bed for respectively accommodating at least one row of a plurality of rows of wells in at least one tray at each of said work stations and a vessel having a plurality of troughs parallel to said plurality of rows of wells to accommodate a second plurality of said work stations;

means for moving said table along said horizontal bed selectively to place any one of said rows of wells in said at least one tray or one of said plurality of troughs at said work stations in register with said pipettes,

means for controlling each of said moving means for said head assembly, plungers and said table to effect liquid transfer between said one trough and said one row of wells in a tray at said work stations, and

receptacle means for storing a plurality of rows of replaceable tips for the ends of said pipettes nozzles at a third plurality of work stations on said table to permit disposal and replacement of said tips on said depending ends of said pipette nozzles with other tips disposed in at least some of the receptacles of said receptacle means between predetermined steps of a liquid transfer process.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said receptacle means for said replaceable tips are in a row positioned at one of said third plurality of work stations carried by said table.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said row at said third plurality of work stations for said receptacle means for said replaceable tips is integral with said vessel and parallel with said troughs therein.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said troughs of said vessel are of differing volumes.