Aspirating and mixing of liquids within a probe tip

• US 7,452,508 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Incorporated (The Carlyle Group LP (Corporate Private Equity))
• Original Assignee: Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Incorporated (The Carlyle Group LP (Corporate Private Equity))
• Inventors: Ding, Zhong, Jacobs, Merrit N., Brookes, Ronald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon; Brian R.
• Application Number:
  US09/993,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20020076826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,569 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100, 422/102, 422/931, 422/936, 422/103, 738/633.2, 738/64, 738/640.1, 738/641.1, 366/21, 366/89, 366/91, 366/158.2, 222/231, 222/232, 222/251
• US Class Current: 422/561
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/50 Circulation mixers, e.g. wherein at least part of the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/65 the materials to be mixed being directly submitted to a pulsating movement, e.g. by means of an oscillating piston or air column
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/651 Mixing by successively aspirating a part of the mixture in a conduit, e.g. a piston, and reinjecting it through the same conduit into the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/00 Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/106 by sucking and blowing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/10 Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices G01N35/0099 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10598 Means for fastening a component, a casing or a heat sink whereby a pressure is exerted on the component towards the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0165 Holder for holding a Printed Circuit Board [PCB] during processing, e.g. during screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/167 Using mechanical means for positioning, alignment or registration, e.g. using rod-in-hole alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0052 Depaneling, i.e. dividing a panel into circuit boards; Working of the edges of circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0097 Processing two or more printed circuits simultaneously, e.g. made from a common substrate, or temporarily stacked circuit boards H05K3/0052 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/225 Correcting or repairing of printed circuits H05K1/0292, H05K3/222, H05K3/288, H05K3/4685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25625 Dilution

Abstract

Apparatus and a method for mixing a liquid within a disposable aspirating probe tip so that most of the liquid is forced to move past a transition zone between two different inside diameters to cause rotational mixing. The apparatus and method can be used to provide agglutination of blood, which in turn can be used for blood typing. The probe tip can include a single integral piece, or two separate portions. The transition zone can include a sharp demarcation between inside diameters, or a smooth one.

Claims

1. A combination aspirating probe, probe tip, and pump, comprising:

a probe tip for mixing liquids within the tip after aspiration of the liquids therein, said tip comprising;

an end portion adapted to engage an aspirating probe,

a wall defining three connected cavities of unequal inside diameters, a compartment being formed by a middlemost cavity sandwiched as a middle compartment between the other two cavities which form end compartments, each two adjacent cavities being connected by a relatively sharp transition zone wall having a radius of curvature of less than 25 microns and said inside diameters being sufficiently unequal in said adjacent two cavities as to cause rotational mixing of liquids as they move past said transition zone wall,

wherein said transition zones of the middlemost cavity is formed by a variance of said inside diameter that increases in value as the middlemost cavity is transited outward into said other two end cavities;

an aspirating probe, wherein the probe tip is adapted to fit onto the end of the aspirating probe; and

a pump for creating a partial pressure or vacuum.

2. A combination aspirating probe, probe tip, and pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump is a piston and piston cylinder pump.

3. A combination aspirating probe, probe tip, and pump as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said end cavities is defined by a wall portion removably mounted on a wall defining said middlemost cavity.

4. A combination aspirating probe, probe tip, and pump as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein the inside diameter of at least one of said end cavities is at least equal to three times the value of the smaller of said differently valued inside diameters.

5. A combination aspirating probe, probe tip, and pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein both transition zones of the middlemost cavity are formed by a variance of said inside diameter that increases in value as the middlemost cavity is transited outward into each of said other two end cavities.