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;
- providing a pipette including;
an elongated body having an outer surface and an interior wall, a portion of the interior wall 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 portion of the interior wall defining the internal cavity also defines a pocket open to the internal cavity, the pocket radially extending into the portion of interior wall defining the internal cavity, the pocket sized and configured to collect and retain a metered dose of a liquid drawn into the cavity as the cavity is otherwise evacuated;
drawing a sample liquid into the pipette to a level above the pocket such that the pocket collects 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.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
42 Citations
44 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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providing a pipette including; an elongated body having an outer surface and an interior wall, a portion of the interior wall 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 portion of the interior wall defining the internal cavity also defines a pocket open to the internal cavity, the pocket radially extending into the portion of interior wall defining the internal cavity, the pocket sized and configured to collect and retain a metered dose of a liquid drawn into the cavity as the cavity is otherwise evacuated; drawing a sample liquid into the pipette to a level above the pocket such that the pocket collects 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 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. 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 comprising an elongated body having an outer surface and an interior wall, a portion of the interior wall 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 internal cavity to draw liquids into the cavity through the lower end of the body; wherein the portion of the interior wall defining the internal cavity also defines a pocket open to the internal cavity, the pocket radially extending into the portion of interior wall defining the internal cavity, the pocket sized and configured to collect a metered dose of a sample liquid; drawing the sample liquid into the pipettes to a level above the pockets such that each pocket collects a metered dose of the sample liquid; 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 (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification