Interchangeable liquid dispensing cartridge pump

• US 6,092,695 A
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dako Denmark A/S (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cytologix Corporation
• Inventors: Loeffler, Herbert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US09/020,983
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 222/181.1, 222/181.2, 222/181.3, 222/207, 222/214, 222/325, 222/450, 222/454, 222/455, 417/412, 417/413.1, 417/478-480, 137/852, 137/859, 141/360-362
• US Class Current: 222/207
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0296 from piercable tubing, e.g. in extracorporeal blood sampling
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/007 being opened by deformation of a sealing element made of resiliently deformable material, e.g. flaps, skirts, duck-bill valves
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0072 A valve member forming part of an outlet opening
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1032 actuated without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke B05B11/103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1067 actuated by pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0216 by squeezing collapsible or flexible storage containers B67D7/0255 takes precedence; for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/025 the pump being located directly adjacent the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/08 having tubular flexible members F04B43/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/107 the opening normally being closed by a fixed element
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0443 for reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 Control of the volume dispensed or introduced

Abstract

A liquid dispensing cartridge pump suitable for dispensing reagent in an automatic system includes a compressible metering chamber suspended from a reservoir bag mounted within a rigid housing. Check valves between the reservoir and metering chamber and at a lower end of a metering chamber are formed of flexible membranes having apertures which close against conical projections on rigid disks. The reservoir and metering chamber pivot as a compression member squeezes the metering chamber against a back surface.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing assembly comprising:

a liquid reservoir;

a liquid metering chamber comprising a compressible elastomeric housing to receive liquid through an inlet from the reservoir; and

unidirectional check valves positioned at the inlet and an outlet, respectively, of the compressible elastomeric housing, at least one of the check valves comprising;

a flexible membrane having an aperture the flexible membrane being formed as a unitary part with the compressible elastomeric housing; and

a valve seat that seats into the aperture of the flexible membrane and causes the flexible membrane to be deformed;

the deformed flexible membrane having an elastic restoring force, the restoring force causing the flexible membrane to act upon the valve seat to provide a positive liquid seal.

2. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve seat is conical in shape.

3. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the valve seat extends from a rigid disk having an opening through which liquid flows.

4. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the check valve is at the outlet and comprises a liquid dispensing guidepost, along which liquid can travel, extending from the valve seat.

5. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the check valve at the outlet comprises a tubular nozzle extending from the flexible membrane about the aperture.

6. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the check valve is at the outlet and comprises a liquid dispensing guidepost, along which liquid can travel, extending from the valve seat.

7. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the check valve is at the outlet and comprises a tubular nozzle extending from the flexible membrane about the aperture.

8. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the check valves at the inlet and the outlet comprises:

a flexible membrane having an aperture; and

a valve seat fixed to the chamber that seats into the aperture of the flexible membrane and causes the flexible membrane to be deformed;

the deformed flexible membrane having an elastic restoring force, the restoring force causing the flexible membrane to act upon the valve seat to provide a positive liquid seal.

9. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reservoir and metering chamber are mounted to tilt when the metering chamber is compressed from one side.

10. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reservoir is made of a flexible bag.

11. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein the reservoir and metering chamber are mounted to tilt when the metering chamber is compressed from one side.

12. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein the reservoir is contained within a rigid outer housing.

13. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the rigid outer housing has a means of attachment to a supporting platform.

14. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the rigid outer housing displays a bar code.

15. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reservoir is filled with liquid to be dispensed.

16. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 1 comprising a filter within the reservoir or metering chamber to trap particulates in the liquid.

17. A liquid dispensing assembly comprising:

a liquid reservoir;

a liquid metering chamber integral with the liquid reservoir to receive liquid through an inlet from the reservoir and comprising unidirectional check valves at the inlet and an outlet; and

a filter contained within the liquid metering chamber, positioned so as to trap particulates that may be found in said liquid.

18. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein the reservoir is filled with liquid to be dispensed.

19. A liquid dispensing assembly comprising:

a rigid housing adapted to be removably attached to a supporting platform;

a liquid reservoir comprising a flexible bag supported within the rigid housing

a liquid metering chamber comprising a compressible elastomeric housing to receive liquid through an inlet from the liquid reservoir, the metering chamber being exposed for compression by an external compression member and being mounted to tilt when the metering chamber is compressed from one side; and

unidirectional check valves positioned at the inlet and an outlet, respectively, of the compressible elastomeric housing, each of the check valves comprising;

a flexible membrane having an aperture; and

a conical valve seat that seats into the aperture of the flexible membrane and causes the flexible membrane to be deformed;

the deformed flexible membrane having an elastic restoring force, the restoring force causing the flexible membrane to act upon the valve seat to provide a positive liquid seal.

20. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the check valve at the outlet comprises a rigid disk from which the valve seat extends, the rigid disk having an opening through which liquid flows and a liquid dispensing guidepost, along which liquid can travel, extending from the valve seat, and the check valve at the outlet further comprises a tubular nozzle extending from the flexible membrane about the aperture.

21. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the reservoir is filled with liquid to be dispensed.

22. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 19 comprising a filter within the reservoir or metering chamber to trap particulates in the liquid.

23. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the liquid reservoir comprises a flexible bag supported within a rigid housing.

24. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the metering chamber is mounted to tilt when the metering chamber is compressed from one side.

25. A liquid dispensing assembly comprising:

a liquid reservoir;

a liquid metering chamber to receive liquid through an inlet from the reservoir and comprising unidirectional check valves at the inlet and an outlet, respectively, of a compressible elastomeric housing, the check valve at the outlet comprising a flexible membrane having an aperture which seats against a valve seat; and

a nozzle through which liquid is discharged from the assembly, the nozzle extending from the aperture of the flexible membrane beyond the valve seat.

26. A liquid dispensing assembly as claimed in claim 25 wherein the reservoir is filled with liquid to be dispensed.

27. A method of supplying liquid to be dispensed comprising:

providing a liquid dispensing assembly comprising;

a liquid reservoir;

a liquid metering chamber comprising a compressible elastomeric housing to receive liquid through an inlet from the reservoir; and

unidirectional check valves positioned at the inlet and an outlet, respectively, of the compressible elastomeric housing, at least one of the check valves comprising;

a flexible membrane having an aperture, the flexible membrane being formed as a unitary part with the compressible elastomeric housing; and

a valve seat that seats into the aperture of the flexible membrane and causes the flexible membrane to be deformed;

the deformed flexible membrane having an elastic restoring force, the restoring force causing the flexible membrane to act upon the valve seat to provide a positive liquid seal; and

filling the liquid reservoir with liquid to be dispensed.