Automated pipetting apparatus having a combined liquid pump and pipette head system
First Claim
1. An automated pipetting apparatus comprising:
- a controller;
a gantry comprising a horizontal rail; and
a liquid dispenser moveable vertically within a container to make contact with the liquid therein and configured to carry out suck and dispense operations therein, the liquid dispenser comprising a mechanical connection to the horizontal rail of the gantry and moveable along the gantry, the liquid dispenser comprising;
a plurality of pumps;
a plurality of dispense heads, each dispense head configured to receive gas from a respective one of the plurality of pumps; and
electrical connections configured to transmit control signals from the controller to the plurality of pumps, the control signals controlling operation of each dispense head by controlling when to reduce gas pressure in one of the plurality of dispense heads, thereby causing a sucking operation, and controlling when to increase gas pressure in one of the plurality of dispense heads, thereby causing a dispense operation, the controller programmed to simultaneously actuate individual pumps of the plurality of pumps to dispense individual fluid volumes, at least one of the plurality of dispense heads configured to dispense a different fluid volume than the fluid volume simultaneously dispensed by at least one other dispense head,wherein the mechanical connection to the horizontal rail and the electrical connections to the controller are the only external connections to the liquid dispenser.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The technology described herein generally relates to systems for extracting polynucleotides from multiple samples, particularly from biological samples, and additionally to systems that subsequently amplify and detect the extracted polynucleotides. The technology more particularly relates to microfluidic systems that carry out PCR on multiple samples of nucleotides of interest within microfluidic channels, and detect those nucleotides. The technology still more particularly relates to automated devices for carrying out pipetting operations, particularly on samples in parallel, consistent with sample preparation and delivery of PCR-ready nucleotide extracts to a cartridge wherein PCR is run.
932 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An automated pipetting apparatus comprising:
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a controller; a gantry comprising a horizontal rail; and a liquid dispenser moveable vertically within a container to make contact with the liquid therein and configured to carry out suck and dispense operations therein, the liquid dispenser comprising a mechanical connection to the horizontal rail of the gantry and moveable along the gantry, the liquid dispenser comprising; a plurality of pumps; a plurality of dispense heads, each dispense head configured to receive gas from a respective one of the plurality of pumps; and electrical connections configured to transmit control signals from the controller to the plurality of pumps, the control signals controlling operation of each dispense head by controlling when to reduce gas pressure in one of the plurality of dispense heads, thereby causing a sucking operation, and controlling when to increase gas pressure in one of the plurality of dispense heads, thereby causing a dispense operation, the controller programmed to simultaneously actuate individual pumps of the plurality of pumps to dispense individual fluid volumes, at least one of the plurality of dispense heads configured to dispense a different fluid volume than the fluid volume simultaneously dispensed by at least one other dispense head, wherein the mechanical connection to the horizontal rail and the electrical connections to the controller are the only external connections to the liquid dispenser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification