Pipet washing apparatus

• US 5,592,959 A
• Filed: 12/20/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nagai, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/359,994
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 134/169 R, 134/170, 141/90, 141/91, 73/864.22, 15/302
• US Class Current: 134/169.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/023 Cleaning the external surface B08B9/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/032 by the mechanical action of a moving fluid, e.g. by flushing B08B9/04 takes precedence ; by fluid jets mounted on cleaning devices B08B9/0433
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices

Abstract

A washing apparatus includes a pipet-outer-wall washing member embedding a through-hole in which a pipet is loosely inserted, a supply path for supplying washing solution to the through-hole, and a discharge path for discharging waste liquid from the through-hole. It further includes a pipet-interior washing device which connects to the pipet. A washing solution storage chamber is connected to the supply path in the pipet-outer-wall washing member and to the pipet-interior washing device and a suction device is connected to the discharge path of the washing member. The sucking device is used for sucking-up waste liquid which exits the through-hole at a side wall thereof. A waste liquid storage chamber is connected to the discharge path. Finally, a drive device causes at least one of the washing member and the pipet to move relative to the other to vary the relative position of the washing member versus the pipet to thereby allow for washing of the entire pipet. Further, the through-hole includes a narrow diameter portion having a narrow clearance for the pipet and a wide diameter portion, formed below the narrow diameter portion, with a clearance for the pipet that is wider than that of the narrow diameter portion. Additionally, the supply path is linked to a side wall of the wide diameter portion, whereas the discharge path is linked to a side wall of the narrow diameter portion.

Claims

1. A pipet washing apparatus comprising;

a pipet-outer-wall washing member including a through-hole, in which a pipet with a bottom end serving as a sampling inlet is loosely insertable, a supply path for supplying washing solution to said through-hole, and a discharge path for discharging waste liquid from said through-hole;

pipet-interior washing device, connectable to said pipet, for supplying washing solution to the interior of said pipet;

a washing solution storage chamber, connected to said supply path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member and said pipet-interior washing device;

suction device connected to said discharge path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member, for sucking up waste liquid;

a waste liquid storage chamber, connected to said discharge path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member, for storing the waste liquid sucked-up by said suction device; and

drive device for causing at least one of said washing member and said pipet to move, to thereby vary the relative position of said washing member and said pipet,

said through-hole including a relatively narrow diameter portion of substantially constant diameter defining an entrance opening of relatively small clearance for insertion of said pipet, and a relatively wide diameter portion, formed below said relatively narrow diameter portion, defining an exit opening having clearance for said pipet that is relatively wider than that of said entrance opening, and wherein

said supply path is directly connected to said relatively wide diameter portion and said discharge path is directly connected to said relatively narrow diameter portion such that an inner wall of the interior of the pipet is washed by supplying washing solution from the supply path, and such that waste liquid is discharged from the sampling inlet of the pipet when the sampling inlet of the pipet is positioned above the discharge path and inside the relatively narrow diameter portion of the through-hole of the washing member.

2. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supply path and said discharge path of said washing member are each orthogonal to said through-hole and parallel with each other.

3. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said relatively wide diameter portion includes a tapered portion adjacent to said relatively narrow diameter portion of said through-hole.

4. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said discharge path includes a recessed portion of a wall surface of said discharge path, formed in said relatively narrow diameter portion of said through-hole.

5. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ratio between an diameter of the inner end portion of the discharge path and the diameter of the relatively narrow diameter portion of the through-hole is about 130:

115.

6. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pipet-interior washing device includes a tube for supplying a washing solution and a pump connected to said tube via a valve.

7. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said suction device includes a suction pump connected to said discharge path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member via said waste liquid storage chamber.

8. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the relatively narrow diameter portion of the through-hole ranges from 110% to 120% of an outer diameter of the pipet.

9. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said drive device includes a drive motor with a rotary shaft which is capable of rotating in either a normal or reverse direction, a first pulley linked with said rotary shaft of said drive motor, a second pulley disposed above or below said first pulley, a drive belt engaged by said first and second pulleys, and supporting members which interconnect and hold said drive belt and said washing member to move said washing member relative to the pipet.

10. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supply path has a diameter of about 55% of an outer diameter of the pipet, and said discharge path has a diameter of about 105% of an outer diameter of the pipet.

11. A pipet washing apparatus comprising:

a pipet-outer-wall washing member including a through-hole, in which a pipet with a bottom end serving as a sampling inlet is loosely insertable, a supply path for supplying washing solution to said through-hole, and a discharge path for discharging waste liquid from said through-hole;

a pipet-interior washing device, connectable to said pipet, for supplying washing solution to the interior of said pipet;

a washing solution storage chamber, connected to said supply path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member and said pipet-interior washing device;

a suction device, connected to said discharge path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member, for sucking up waste liquid;

a waste liquid storage chamber connected to said discharge path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member, for storing the waste liquid sucked-up by said suction device; and

a drive device for causing at least one of said washing member and said pipet to move, to thereby vary the relative position of said washing member and said pipet,

said through-hole including a relatively narrow diameter portion of substantially constant diameter defining an entrance opening of relatively small clearance for insertion of said pipet, and a conical portion extending below the relatively narrow diameter portion, defining an exit opening having clearance for said pipet that is relatively wider than that of said entrance opening, the supply path being directly connected to the conical portion and the discharge path being directly connected to the relatively narrow diameter portion such that an inner wall of the interior of the pipet is washed by supplying washing solution from the supply path, and such that waste liquid is discharged from the sampling inlet of the pipet when the sampling inlet of the pipet is positioned above the discharge path and inside the relatively narrow diameter portion of the through-hole of the washing member.

12. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the diameter of the relatively narrow diameter portion of the through-hole ranges from 110% to 120% of an outer diameter of the pipet.

13. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said supply path and said discharge path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member are each orthogonal to said through-hole and parallel with each other.

14. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said discharge path includes a recessed portion of a wall surface of said discharge path, formed in said relatively narrow diameter portion of said through-hole.

15. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the ratio between the diameter of an inner end portion of the discharge path and the diameter of the relatively narrow diameter portion of the through-hole is about 130:

115.

16. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said pipet-interior washing device includes a tube for supplying a washing solution and a pump connected to said tube via a valve.

17. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said suction device includes a suction pump connected to said discharge path of said pipet-outer-wall washing member via said waste liquid storage chamber.

18. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said drive device includes a drive motor with a rotary shaft which is capable of rotating in either a normal or reverse direction, a first pulley linked with said rotary shaft of said drive motor, a second pulley disposed above or below said first pulley, a drive belt engaged by said first and second pulleys, and supporting members which interconnect and hold said drive belt and said washing member to move said washing member relative to the pipet.

19. The pipet washing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said supply path has a diameter of about 55% of an outer diameter of the pipet, and said discharge path has a diameter of about 105% of an outer diameter of the pipet.