Metering doses of sample liquids
First Claim
1. A method of metering and mixing a dose of a sample liquid with a diluent liquid, the method comprising;
- introducing a sample liquid into a channel defined in a housing, the housing defining a pocket open to the channel and sized to collect a metered dose of the sample liquid, and to retain the collected dose by capillary force when the channel is emptied;
removing sample liquid from the channel under conditions that enable retention of the collected, metered dose of the sample liquid in the pocket; and
then introducing a volume of a diluent liquid into the channel to induce diffusion and mixing of the diluent liquid with the dose of sample liquid to form a mixture.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of metering and mixing a dose of a sample liquid with a diluent liquid includes introducing a sample liquid into a channel defined in a housing. The housing defines a pocket open to the channel and sized to both collect a metered dose of the sample liquid, and to retain the collected dose by capillary force when the channel is emptied. The sample liquid is then removed from the channel under conditions that enable retention of the collected, metered dose of the sample liquid in the pocket. Following a cleaning step, a volume of diluent liquid is introduced into the channel to induce diffusion and mixing of the diluent liquid with the dose of sample liquid to form a mixture.
71 Citations
83 Claims
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1. A method of metering and mixing a dose of a sample liquid with a diluent liquid, the method comprising;
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introducing a sample liquid into a channel defined in a housing, the housing defining a pocket open to the channel and sized to collect a metered dose of the sample liquid, and to retain the collected dose by capillary force when the channel is emptied;
removing sample liquid from the channel under conditions that enable retention of the collected, metered dose of the sample liquid in the pocket; and
thenintroducing a volume of a diluent liquid into the channel to induce diffusion and mixing of the diluent liquid with the dose of sample liquid to form a mixture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of metering and mixing a dose of a sample liquid with a diluent liquid, the method comprising;
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drawing a sample liquid into a pipette defining an internal cavity and having an interior wall defining a pocket sized to collect a metered dose of the sample liquid;
expelling the sample liquid from the pipette under conditions that enable retaining the collected, metered dose of the sample in the pocket by capillary force; and
thendrawing a volume of a diluent liquid into the pipette a sufficient distance to contact the retained dose of sample liquid, to induce diffusion and mixing of the diluent liquid with the dose of sample liquid. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of metering and mixing a plurality of doses of a sample liquid with a diluent liquid, the method comprising;
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providing an array of pipettes, each pipette defining an internal cavity and having an interior wall defining a pocket sized to collect a metered dose of a sample liquid;
drawing the sample liquid into the pipettes;
expelling the sample liquid from the pipettes under conditions that enable retaining the collected, metered doses of the sample in the pockets by capillary force; and
thendrawing a diluent liquid into the pipettes a sufficient distance to contact the retained doses of sample liquid, to induce diffusion and mixing of the diluent liquid with the doses of sample liquid. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A pipette comprising:
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an elongated body having an outer surface and defining an internal cavity open at a lower end of the body;
the body defining an opening in an upper portion of the body, through which air can be drawn from the cavity to draw liquids into the cavity through the lower end of the body;
wherein the body has an interior wall defining a pocket open to the internal cavity, the pocket sized to collect and retain a metered dose of a liquid drawn into the cavity as the cavity is otherwise evacuated. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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Specification