Fluid dispenser

• US 6,192,945 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2000
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Showalter, Wayne, Ford, Anthony, Richards, William, McGraw, Brian, Mead, Stephen, Heilman, Bronwen, Druyor-Sanchez, Bobbi, McDaniel, Darin
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US09/483,606
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2, 141/18, 141/21, 141/25-27, 141/327, 222/321.7, 222/321.8, 222/321.9, 222/341, 222/481, 222/482, 222/484
• US Class Current: 141/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/317 spraying liquids onto surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1034 Transferring microquantities of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 Control of the volume dispensed or introduced

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an automated biological reaction system is provided. In the processing of a biological reaction system, there is a need for consistently placing an amount of fluid on a slide. In order to accomplish this, several methods are used including a consistency pulse and a volume adjust means. Moreover, in order to reliably operate an automated biological reaction system, the dispenser must be reliable, easy to assemble and accurate. Among other things, in order to accomplish this, the dispense chamber is substantially in line with the reservoir chamber, the reservoir chamber piston is removed, and the flow of fluid through the dispenser is simplified. Further, in order to operate the automated biological reaction system more reliably, the system is designed in modular pieces with higher functions performed by a host device and the execution of the staining operations performed by remote devices. Also, to reliably catalog data which is used by the automated biological reaction system, data is loaded to a memory device, which in turn is used by the operator to update the operator'"'"'s databases. The generation of the sequence of steps for the automated biological reaction device based on data loaded by the operator, including checks to determine the ability to complete the run, is provided.

Claims

1. A method of filling and priming a fluid dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the fluid dispenser with a cap, a barrel having a reservoir chamber, the barrel being adjacent to the cap, a dispense chamber adjacent to the reservoir chamber, and a nozzle adjacent to the dispense chamber;

providing a syringe with a tip and a syringe plunger;

opening the cap on the fluid dispenser;

filling the reservoir chamber within the fluid dispenser with fluid;

closing the cap on the fluid dispenser;

placing the tip of the syringe inside the nozzle of the fluid dispenser without requiring the fluid dispenser be turned upside down;

pushing the barrel downward; and

expanding the plunger of the syringe in order to draw fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber into the syringe.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

releasing the barrel during the step of expanding the plunger of the syringe in order to draw fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of placing the tip of the syringe inside the nozzle of the fluid dispenser includes using a restrictor on the tip of the syringe in order to securely fit the syringe in the nozzle of the fluid dispenser.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of opening the cap after the step of expanding the plunger.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the step of pushing in the plunger of the syringe and releasing the fluid in the syringe into the reservoir of the fluid dispenser after the step of opening the cap.

6. A method of filling and priming a fluid dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the fluid dispenser with a cap, a barrel having a reservoir chamber, the barrel being adjacent to the cap, a dispense chamber adjacent to the reservoir chamber, and a nozzle adjacent to the dispense chamber;

providing a syringe with a tip and a syringe plunger;

opening the cap on the fluid dispenser;

filling the reservoir chamber within the fluid dispenser with fluid;

closing the cap on the fluid dispenser;

placing the tip of the syringe inside the nozzle of the fluid dispenser without requiring the fluid dispenser be turned upside down;

expanding the plunger of the syringe in order to draw fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber into the syringe;

opening the cap after the step of expanding the plunger of the syringe in order to draw fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber into the syringe; and

pushing in the plunger of the syringe and releasing the fluid in the syringe into the reservoir of the fluid dispenser.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the step of pushing the barrel downward.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising the step of releasing the barrel during the step of expanding the plunger of the syringe in order to draw fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the step of placing the tip of the syringe inside the nozzle of the fluid dispenser includes using a restrictor on the tip of the syringe in order to securely fit the syringe in the nozzle of the fluid dispenser.

10. A method of filling and priming a fluid dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the fluid dispenser with a cap, a barrel having a reservoir chamber, the barrel being adjacent to the cap, a dispense chamber adjacent to the reservoir chamber, and a nozzle adjacent to the dispense chamber;

opening the cap on the fluid dispenser;

filling the reservoir chamber within the fluid dispenser with fluid;

closing the cap on the fluid dispenser;

pushing the barrel downward;

releasing the barrel; and

drawing fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the step of releasing the barrel is performed during the step of drawing fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the step drawing fluid from the reservoir chamber and the dispense chamber is performed by expanding a plunger of a syringe.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

opening the cap after expanding the plunger of the syringe; and

pushing in the plunger of the syringe and releasing fluid in the syringe into the reservoir of the fluid dispenser.