Automatic pipettor with a single-row, multi-channel pipetting head

• US 6,732,598 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CyBio AG (Noblex GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Cybio Instruments GmbH (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Inventors: Schoeppe, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): RAEVIS, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US09/848,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 738/633.2, 738/641.4, 738/641.7, 738/641.8, 422/100
• US Class Current: 73/864.14
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0279 co-operating with positive ejection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 Multiple transfer devices

Abstract

Automatic pipettor with a single-row, multi-channel pipetting head, with tip ejector mechanism by which the pipette tips attached to pipettes arranged in a row are successively removed and which, by means of the movable construction of a lifter arranged below the pipetting head and carrying, e.g., a microtitration plate, can be used in an all-purpose manner for different microtitration plates in the direction of the pipettes and the movability of the pipetting head in a direction orthogonal thereto.

Claims

1. An automatic pipettor with a single-row, multi-channel pipetting head, with a tip ejector mechanism for removing the pipette tips attached to the pipettes arranged in a row, and a receptacle place for microtitration plates below the pipetting head, comprising:

said pipetting head being movable in orthogonal direction to the row of pipettes;

said ejector mechanism having a shaft which is oriented in the direction of the row of pipettes and to which a quantity of push-off units equal to the quantity of pipettes are fastened so as to be offset relative to one another at an angle ω

, each of which successively coming into contact with a strip-off unit guided in the direction of the pipettes during rotation of the shaft, displaces it, and strips a pipette tip from a pipette; and

a lifter being arranged below the receptacle place for raising and lowering the microtitration plate in direction of the pipettes.

2. The automatic pipettor according to claim 1, wherein the push-off units are arms which are oriented radial to the shaft and have a ball hearing fastened to the inner ring.

4. The automatic pipettor according to claim 1, wherein the push-off units are arms which are oriented radial to the shaft and have a ball bearing fastened to the inner ring.

3. An automatic pipettor with a single-row, multi-channel pipetting head, with a tip ejector mechanism for removing the pipette tips attached to the pipettes arranged in a row, and a receptacle place for microtitration plates below the pipetting head, comprising:

said pipetting head being movable in orthogonal direction to the row of pipettes;

said ejector mechanism having a shaft which is oriented in the direction of the row of pipettes and to which a quantity of push-off units equal to the quantity of pipettes are fastened so as to be offset relative to one another at an angle ω

, each of which successively coming into contact with a strip-off unit guided in the direction of the pipettes during rotation of the shaft, displaces it, and strips a pipette tip from a pipette; and

a lifter being arranged below the receptacle place for raising and lowering the microtitration plate in direction of the pipettes and being able to offset it in the direction of the row of pipettes.