Device for dispensing accurately-controlled small doses of liquid
First Claim
1. A device for dispensing small quantities of at least one liquid, comprising:
- a reservoir (32;
61) that constitutes a supply of liquid (L) to be dispensed;
a gas supply duct (10;
15;
32;
62) connectable to a gas supply (G), arranged to selectively supply a gas pressure;
a capillary duct (20) having open first and second ends (20a, 20b), the capillary duct being adapted to be filled with liquid (L) to be dispensed, and to eject said liquid;
a wall that forms a bottom wall of the reservoir (32;
61), the capillary duct (20) extending through the thickness of said wall whereby the reservoir is integrated with the liquid-dispensing capillary duct; and
a movable member (50;
15,20,42) movably mounted in the device above said bottom wall of the reservoir (32;
61) between a first position defining a filling configuration and a second position defining a liquid separation and ejection configuration, wherein;
(a) in the filling configuration the movable member (50;
15,20,42) allows access of liquid in the reservoir to the top part of the wall into which the capillary duct (20) opens whereby liquid from the reservoir (32;
61) is in contact with an end (20a) of the capillary duct (20) to fill the capillary duct with liquid; and
(b) in the liquid separation and ejection configuration;
the movable member (50;
15,20,42) blocks access of liquid in the reservoir (32;
61) to a top part of the wall into which the capillary (20) duct opens, so liquid remaining in the reservoir (32;
61) is separated from liquid that fills the capillary_duct (20) to form a discrete quantity (V) of liquid filling the capillary duct out of contact with the remaining liquid (L) of the reservoir;
the capillary_duct, filled with said discrete quantity (V) of liquid has its first end (20a) in contact with the gas supply and its second end (20b) directly or indirectly in contact with the, atmosphere; and
said discrete quantity (V) of liquid is ejectable from the second end (20b) of the capillary duct by the application of gas pressure to the first end (20a) of the capillary duct when the gas supply duct is connected to said ˜
as supply (G),the integrated reservoir (32;
61) being dimensioned to contain a quantity of liquid (L) that can be dispensed as multiple discrete quantities (V), a diameter or cross-dimension of the integrated reservoir (32;
61) being greater than the diameter of the capillary duct (20) which extends through the thickness of said wail; and
the device being so arranged that the ejected quantities each correspond precisely to the discrete quantity (V) that fills the capillary duct (20) in the liquid separation and ejection configuration.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a device for dispensing accurately-controlled small quantities of at least one liquid, comprising a liquid supply (L); a gas supply (G), arranged to selectively supply a gas pressure; and a capillary duct (20) adapted to be filled with liquid to be dispensed, and to eject the liquid. The device has a filling configuration wherein liquid from the supply is in contact with an end (20a) of the capillary duct to fill the capillary duct with liquid; and a liquid separation and ejection configuration, in which liquid remaining in the liquid supply is separated from liquid that fills the capillary duct to form a discrete quantity (V) of liquid filling the capillary duct (20) out of contact with the remaining liquid of the liquid supply. The capillary duct, filled with this discrete quantity (V) of liquid then has one end in contact with the gas supply and another end in contact with the atmosphere. The discrete quantity of liquid (V), forming an exact dose of liquid to be dispensed, is ejectable from the second end (20b) of the capillary duct by the application of gas pressure.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A device for dispensing small quantities of at least one liquid, comprising:
- a reservoir (32;
61) that constitutes a supply of liquid (L) to be dispensed;
a gas supply duct (10;
15;
32;
62) connectable to a gas supply (G), arranged to selectively supply a gas pressure;
a capillary duct (20) having open first and second ends (20a, 20b), the capillary duct being adapted to be filled with liquid (L) to be dispensed, and to eject said liquid;
a wall that forms a bottom wall of the reservoir (32;
61), the capillary duct (20) extending through the thickness of said wall whereby the reservoir is integrated with the liquid-dispensing capillary duct; and
a movable member (50;
15,20,42) movably mounted in the device above said bottom wall of the reservoir (32;
61) between a first position defining a filling configuration and a second position defining a liquid separation and ejection configuration, wherein;(a) in the filling configuration the movable member (50;
15,20,42) allows access of liquid in the reservoir to the top part of the wall into which the capillary duct (20) opens whereby liquid from the reservoir (32;
61) is in contact with an end (20a) of the capillary duct (20) to fill the capillary duct with liquid; and(b) in the liquid separation and ejection configuration; the movable member (50;
15,20,42) blocks access of liquid in the reservoir (32;
61) to a top part of the wall into which the capillary (20) duct opens, so liquid remaining in the reservoir (32;
61) is separated from liquid that fills the capillary_duct (20) to form a discrete quantity (V) of liquid filling the capillary duct out of contact with the remaining liquid (L) of the reservoir;the capillary_duct, filled with said discrete quantity (V) of liquid has its first end (20a) in contact with the gas supply and its second end (20b) directly or indirectly in contact with the, atmosphere; and said discrete quantity (V) of liquid is ejectable from the second end (20b) of the capillary duct by the application of gas pressure to the first end (20a) of the capillary duct when the gas supply duct is connected to said ˜
as supply (G),the integrated reservoir (32;
61) being dimensioned to contain a quantity of liquid (L) that can be dispensed as multiple discrete quantities (V), a diameter or cross-dimension of the integrated reservoir (32;
61) being greater than the diameter of the capillary duct (20) which extends through the thickness of said wail; and
the device being so arranged that the ejected quantities each correspond precisely to the discrete quantity (V) that fills the capillary duct (20) in the liquid separation and ejection configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a reservoir (32;
Specification