Repetition pipette

• US 5,573,729 A
• Filed: 04/20/1995
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eppendorf AG
• Original Assignee: Eppendorf-Netheler-Hinz GmbH (Eppendorf Se)
• Inventors: Belgardt, Herbert, Sch urbrock, Klaus, Meyer, Rolf-G unter
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARRILLO, BIBI SHARIDAN
• Application Number:
  US08/425,521
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100, 222/287, 222/309, 222/309 OR, 222/287 OR, 222/391, 222/391 OR, 73/864.16, 73/864.18
• US Class Current: 422/515
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0234 Repeating pipettes, i.e. for dispensing multiple doses from a single charge

Abstract

A repetition pipette including a syringe receiving section for the mounting portion of a syringe, a receiving member having a piston receiving portion for the mounting portion of a syringe piston, piston returning means for moving said receiving member away from said syringe receiving portion, piston advancing means for advancing said receiving member towards said piston receiving portion, which piston advancing means comprises a rack connected to said receiving member, and actuating element movable along an actuation path, and a pawl pivotally mounted thereto, which pawl is moved into engagement with the toothing of the rack so as to drive the latter for an advancing step when the actuating element is advanced, and is moved out of engagement with the rack when the actuating element is returned, and step width adjusting means for adjusting the step width of the advancing step, the step width adjusting means comprising a withholding element displaceable along the rack by means of an adjusting element for preventing the pawl from engaging the rack, characterized by stroke limiting means controlled by the step width adjusting means so as to increase the stroke length of the actuating element when the step width increases and to decrease the stroke length of the actuating element when the step width decreases.

Claims

1. A repetition pipette including a syringe receiving section (5) for a mounting portion of a syringe (6), a receiving member (9) having a piston receiving portion for the mounting portion of a syringe piston, piston returning means (10) for moving said receiving member away from said syringe receiving section, piston advancing means (13, 17, 22) for advancing said receiving member towards said piston receiving portion, the piston advancing means comprising a rack having a toothing (13) connected to said receiving member, and an actuating element (17) movable along an actuation path (B), and a pawl (22) pivotally mounted thereto, said pawl being movable into engagement with the toothing (14) of the rack so as to drive the rack for an advancing step when the actuating element is advanced, and is moved out of engagement with the rack when the actuating element is returned, means (23,27) for adjusting a step width of the advancing step, the step width adjusting means comprising a sleeve-shaped withholding element (23) displaceable along the rack by an adjusting element (27) for preventing the pawl from engaging the rack, and stroke length limiting means (29,29'"'"') controlled by the step width adjusting means (23,27) so as to increase a stroke length (B) of the actuating element (17) when the step width increases and to decrease the stroke length of the actuating element when the step width decreases;

wherein said stroke length limiting means includes an abutment (29,29'"'"') limiting the stroke length (B) of the actuating element (17) at the beginning of the stroke length, said abutment being adjustable by the step width adjusting means (23,27) both in an advancing and a returning direction (V and R) of the actuating element;

wherein the withholding element (23) comprises a lateral shoulder (29,29'"'"') forming said abutment; and

wherein said actuating element (17) includes a pair of parallel legs, (18,18'"'"') with one leg extending transversely across one side of said rack (13), and the withholding element (23) has said shoulder (29) on said one side of the rack (13).

2. A pipette according to claim 1, wherein said actuating element (17) includes a pivot mount (15) on one side of the rack (13) and an actuating end on the other side of the rack.

3. A pipette according to claim 1, wherein said withholding element (23) includes a laterally projecting guide pin (25) which is guided in a cam surface (26) of an adjusting knob (27).