Fluid dispensing apparatus

• US 5,599,500 A
• Filed: 05/10/1995
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dade International, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Jones, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, LYLE
• Application Number:
  US08/438,459
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 436/43, 436/47, 436/52, 422/62, 422/65, 422/67, 422/100, 422/109
• US Class Current: 422/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack

Abstract

A chemical analyzer (10) includes a fluid dispensing system (46) with a carrier member (18) and fluid dispensing head (72). The carrier member (18) includes a docking fixture (52) and the fluid dispensing head includes a docking receptacle (54). By engagement of the docking fixture and receptacle the carrier member carries the fluid dispensing head to a position above a recess (34) into which fluid is precisely dispensed. The carrier member also returns the fluid dispensing head to a storage location (64) substantially separating the fluids to be dispensed from the environment of the analyzer. When the fluid dispensing head is in its storage location the carrier member may disengage to perform other functions in the analyzer.

Claims

1. A fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:

a fluid dispensing head having plural fluid dispensing nozzles, and

a carrier translatable along a vertical first axis and including a shuttle member translatable along a horizontal second axis perpendicular to said first axis,

said shuttle member and said fluid dispensing head defining cooperating means for selectively supportingly securing said fluid dispensing head to said shuttle member in response to sequential first, and third movements of said carrier member in opposite directions along said vertical first axis, and an interposed second movement of said shuttle member along said horizontal second axis, such that said fluid dispensing head is carried by said shuttle member, said cooperating means including each of said shuttle member and said fluid dispensing head respectively defining one of a docking fixture and a docking receptacle which are inter-engageable with one another in response to relative movement along said horizontal second axis, said docking fixture including a cavity which extends parallel with said horizontal second axis, and said docking receptacle including a support lug extending parallel with said horizontal second axis and being supportingly receivable into said cavity, and said docking fixture and said docking receptacle being disengaging from one another in response to opposite relative movement along said horizontal second axis, so that said fluid dispensing head is released from said shuttle member in response to relative movements of said carrier and shuttle member which are sequentially opposite and directionally opposite to those movements supportingly engaging said fluid dispensing head and said shuttle member.

2. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support lug extends toward said docking fixture from a support portion of said docking receptacle, which support portion parallels said first axis.

3. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said docking fixture further includes a resilient member extending parallel with said second axis and defining a pair of cusps, said support portion of said support docking receptacle including a pair of chamfers which are engaged by said cusps when said support lug is fully engaged into said cavity.

4. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second receptacle includes a funnel member.

5. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 4 wherein said funnel member includes an upwardly open cylindrical bore, said fluid dispensing head including a depending cylindrical portion closely receivable into said funnel bore when said fluid dispensing head is disengaged from said shuttle.

6. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said funnel member and said fluid dispensing head cooperatively define a substantially closed chamber into which said fluid dispensing nozzles open.

7. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said funnel member defines a spout portion communicating with said second receptacle.

8. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said second receptacle further includes a catch bag for receiving fluid from said fluid dispensing head via said funnel member.

9. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said funnel bore and said depending portion of said fluid dispensing head are circular in plan view, said docking receptacle further including an extending arm portion having a pin member extending therefrom parallel with said first axis, and a locating lug fixedly related with said funnel member and defining a bore extending parallel with said first axis and slidably receiving said pin member when said fluid dispensing head is disposed upon said funnel member.

10. The fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 9 wherein said locating lug further includes a sensor providing a signal indicative of the presence upon or absence from said funnel member of said fluid dispensing head.

11. A fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:

a fluid dispensing head having plural fluid dispensing nozzles each communicating with a respective source of fluid to be dispensed;

a head carrier member movable along a horizontal axis parallel with a line intersecting said fluid dispensing head; and

cooperating docking means for securing said fluid dispensing head to said head carrier member in response to movements of said head carrier member consisting essentially of a movement along said horizontal axis;

wherein said cooperating docking means includes one of said fluid dispensing head and head carrier member having a docking cavity extending horizontally and parallel with said horizontal axis, the other of said fluid dispensing head and head carrier member having a horizontally elongate docking lug receivable into said docking cavity to supportingly engage said fluid dispensing head with said carrier member so that said head carrier member supportingly carries and moves said fluid dispensing head; and

wherein said cooperative docking means further includes a resilient spring member engageable with said fluid dispensing head for removably retaining said docking lug within said docking cavity.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said cooperating docking means further includes cooperating abutment surfaces for locating said fluid dispensing head relative to said head carrier member.

13. The invention of claim 11 further including means for holding and positioning said fluid dispensing head when the latter is not engaged with said head carrier member and preparatory to such engagement.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein said means for holding and positioning said fluid dispensing head includes a receptacle for fluid from said fluid dispensing head.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein said receptacle substantially sealingly cooperates with said fluid dispensing head to define a chamber into which said fluid dispensing nozzles opens.

16. A fluid dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a fluid dispensing head having a plurality of fluid dispensing nozzles;

a carriage movable along a vertical first axis;

a shuttle member associated with the carriage and movable along a horizontal second axis defined by a portion of the carriage, the horizontal second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis; and

means cooperatively defined by said fluid dispensing head and said shuttle member for releasably securing said fluid dispensing head to said shuttle member so that said fluid dispensing head is carried by said shuttle member in response to a predetermined movement of the shuttle member relative to said carriage, said predetermined movement consisting essentially of a movement of said carriage along said horizontal second axis.

17. A fluid dispensing head as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means for releasably securing said fluid dispensing head to said shuttle member comprises structure for mechanically interengaging the fluid dispensing head and the shuttle member, and including said structure defining a horizontally extending cavity and a horizontally extending support lug-receivable in said cavity so that said shuttle member supportingly carries said fluid dispensing head via engaged surfaces of said structure at said cavity and support lug.

18. A fluid dispensing head as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a receptacle for storing the fluid dispensing head when the fluid dispensing head is disengaged from the shuttle member.

19. A fluid dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a fluid dispensing head having a plurality of fluid dispensing nozzles and a first connection member, said first connection member including a docking receptacle;

a carriage movable along a vertical first axis; and

a shuttle member carried by said carriage and movable along a horizontal second axis defined by a portion of the carriage, the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the shuttle member including a second connection member adapted to releasably mechanically interlock with the first connection member in response to a predetermined movement of the shuttle member along said horizontal second axis said second predetermined movement consisting essentially of said shuttle member moving along said horizontal second axis so that said fluid dispensing head is carried by said shuttle member when said shuttle member and said fluid dispensing head are mechanically interlocked, said second connection member including a docking fixture adapted to mate with the docking receptacle and having a resilient spring member with a pair of spaced-apart cusps, said docking receptacle defining a pair of chamfer surfaces engaged by said cusps of said resilient spring member.

20. A fluid dispensing head as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

a receptacle for storing the fluid dispensing head when the fluid dispensing head is disengaged from the shuttle member.